Philippine Forces Struggle to Retake City Held by Islamist Militants

Philippine Forces Struggle to Retake City Held by Islamist Militants
"We are carefully screening everyone, including evacuees, to make sure none of the rebels gets past us in disguise." As government forces focused on driving
the rebels from Marawi, they also escorted dozens of civilians from the city using armored personnel carriers and military trucks mounted with machine guns.
By FELIPE VILLAMORMAY 29, 2017
MARAWI, Philippines — Militants loyal to the Islamic State stubbornly resisted as government troops pushed on Monday to drive them
out of Marawi, a city in the southern Philippines where hundreds of desperate residents remained trapped by the fighting.
Troops have so far cleared about half the city of militants from the Abu Sayyaf and Maute groups and the foreign fighters backing them,
but the insurgents have broken up into small groups and have proved elusive, according to Zia Alonto Adiong, a spokesman for the Lanao del Sur provincial government.
As of Monday, 61 militants, 20 government troops and 19 civilians had died in the fighting, according to the military and government authorities.
"We have no word on the priest and the hostages." He added
that some trapped civilians had called on the military "to stop the bombardment so that food and water could be brought in." On Monday, the atmosphere in Marawi was tense, with constant explosions sending evacuees into a panic.
The military’s struggle to drive out the rebels has become a major challenge for the government of President
Rodrigo Duterte, who declared martial law in the region last week and vowed to defeat the insurgents.