MANILA, Philippines — Philippine forces said they were in control of most of Marawi, the southern city where almost 100 people were killed and 60,000 were displaced after fighting in the past week between the military and extremists linked to Islamic State.
“Our ground commanders have assured that the end is almost there,” Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said. Government troops are in control “except in certain areas” that militants hold, making “surgical airstrikes” necessary, he said.
Nineteen civilians, 18 government fighters and 61 extremists were killed, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said, making it the worst in the Mindanao region in almost four years. Almost 400 residents were rescued from Marawi, the most crowded city in the autonomous Muslim area with a population of 200,000.
President Rodrigo Duterte put Mindanao under martial law last week as insurgents in Marawi with Islamic State flags burned buildings, occupied offices and freed more than 100 inmates from jail. Duterte said Saturday that military rule, limited by the Constitution to 60 days, will remain for as long as necessary, and that the Supreme Court and Congress must not intervene.
