Maute group “a little over 100” in Marawi: military spokesman

June 22, 2017

Members of  a terrorist group still being engaged by the military within the conflict area of Marawi City has “dwindled to a little over a 100”, a military spokesman said on Thursday. “According to the information we are getting from the ground troops operating in the area, there are more or less 100 members of Maute terrorist group left after the one month battle here in Marawi,” Col. Jo-ar Herrera, Army’s 6th Infantry Division Spokesman said. The military has recorded a total of 276 Maute terrorists killed because of ongoing clashes while 271 firearms were recovered. Herrera said a total of 67 government forces were killed and a total of 461 were wounded. It can be recalled that Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana previously mentioned that around 500 terrorist members have entered the city of Marawi last month. Herrera said some“terrorist members have chosen to abandon their firearms and blend in with civilian evacuees who are escaping from ground zero.” “As their bailiwick native land, the terrorists are knowledgeable of the terrain here in Marawi City. They are also using that advantage to slip out of the area. But the authorities assure that the combined strength of the security forces and other government agencies, these terrorists have nowhere to hide,” he said. (Robina Asido/DMS)