Air strikes continue; Muslim religious leaders seek meeting with Duterte

July 17, 2017

MARAWI CITY-- A few days before the Duterte administration’s 60-days imposition of martial law ends, the military pounded the remaining positions of the Maute-Abu Sayyaf militants who in this city. Casualties have been slowly mounting as 411 Maute-Abu Sayyaf were killed and 97 soldiers died since fighting began on May 23. Forty-five civilians have perished even as the gunmen are holding many hostages. Wounded on the military side are 852. Lt. Col Jo-Ar Herrera, Joint Task Force Marawi spokesman, said troops are battling 60 gunmen holed in four villages here with their hostages. "We are gaining more grounds. The rebel-held area is getting smaller. We are committed and focused to finish the job as soon as possible”, Herrera said. Muslim religious leaders have asked Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to speak to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Agakhan Sharief, known in Lanao as Bin Laden  because he resembles the late al-Qaeda leader, said Monday religious leaders handed a letter to Mayor Duterte. “We hope the President will give us his time. We need something to tell him confidential aside from our concerns regarding the ongoing hostilities,” Sharief said. “We also asked the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to help us but it seems they are not interested,” he added. DMS