Leaders of Maute-Abu Sayyaf group in Marawi still alive, military cites hostage

October 5, 2017

MARAWI CITY — Top leaders of Islamic State-inspired militants, led by Isnilon Hapilon, who is in the list of the US most wanted terrorists and Omar Maute, are still alive in the frontline according one of the 17 hostages rescued by government security forces.

Six more terrorists were killed bringing the number of casualities to 765 while six soldiers died, raising the military death count to 155, said Colonel Romeo Brawner Jr., deputy commander of the Joint Task Group Ranao Thursday.

“We talked to one of the hostages and he confirmed that Hapilon and Omar are still alive inside,” Brawner said.

Since May 23 attacks, there have been 47 civilian deaths while 1, 750 were rescued.

The military sustained around 1604 wounded, but half are back in the frontline. “We sustained four wounded yesterday in the battle field,” Brawner said.

Brawner said government forces stepped up their air assault on the defensive positions of their enemies, using two South-Korean made FA-50 jets that dropped four bombs shortly before 12 noon.

“We learned from the rescued hostages our enemies were hiding in tunnels they made underneath the streets connected to buildings,” he said. DMS