Marawi battle will prod military to improve urban warfare capability: Arevalo

August 14, 2017

The military will improve its urban warfare capability after completing its mission in Marawi City.

“Although we have experience in urban warfare… this one is a different level of urban warfare because from what we see here in Marawi situation, the structure there are very dense…,” Col. Edgard Arevalo, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs chief told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo Monday.

“So along these lines we can say that we need to evaluate after the operations, how we fared vis-a-vis the tactics employed by the enemy and for us to make necessary study to have changes on our theories, doctrines, tactics, techniques and procedures,” he added.

Arevalo admitted that the kind of enemies they have in Marawi is also one of the challenges that delayed their operation.

“We are fighting here against the Daesh inspired group, meaning they do not observe any rules of engagement. They use human shields. They torched houses and structures and used improvised explosive devices,” he said.

“Their willingness to die with their belief that if they will die fighting for what they think is a cause ( that) they will be going to heaven. So this is an entirely different battlefield and entirely different kind of enemy altogether,” he added.

Arevalo said based on their information high value targets, including Isnilon Hapilon, remain in the battlefield.

Based on their updates, Maute terrorist group members killed are 526 while the number of fatalities on the government side remains at 128. Robina Asido/DMS