Philippines Army captures ‘pro-IS’ base in besieged city – Priest rescued

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Smoke billows from houses after aerial bombings by Philippine Airforce planes on Islamist militant positions in Marawi on the southern island of Mindanao on Sept 17. The Philippine military said on Sunday it had captured the command centre of Islamic State (IS) group supporters who have besieged the southern city for nearly four months. (AFP)

MARAWI, Philippines, Sept 17, (Agencies): The Philippine military said Sunday it had captured the command centre of Islamic State (IS) group supporters who have besieged a southern city for nearly four months. Security forces have engaged in ferocious street-tostreet combat and launched airstrikes in their efforts to expel the fighters from Marawi, in a battle that has left 800 dead and raised fears that IS is looking to establish a Southeast Asian base in the Philippines. The military said it had captured the militants’ control centre in a deadly operation that began Saturday against a mosque and another building.

“This enormous (military) gain further weakened the terrorist group by denying them their erstwhile command and control hub,” military chief General Eduardo Ano said in a statement. “As follow up and clearing operations continue, we expect the enemy to yield more previously occupied positions, but not without a fight,” he said. “We are ready for that.” Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of the task force battling the militants, said the military had encountered some of the heaviest resistance in recovering the mosque. Its capture may be a sign that the prolonged fighting with the Maute militant group, whose leaders have pledged allegiance to IS, may be nearing a conclusion, he said.

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“We believe we are close to the end. The area where the Maute terrorist group can move is shrinking. We noticed that their resistance is weakening,” Brawner told AFP. “They are retreating while we are assaulting but in the process of doing so, we are encountering many improvised explosive devices so we cannot just advance. We have to be very careful,” he said. One soldier was killed and seven others were wounded in the battle, he said.

Brawner said they had hoped to rescue numerous civilian hostages when they captured the mosque but they found no one. In the once-bustling city, gunfire could still be heard ringing out in the distance as troops backed by armoured vehicles, pressed towards militant positions. Meanwhile, Philippine officials say government forces have rescued a Roman Catholic priest and another civilian who were among dozens of people abducted in May when hundreds of militants aligned with the Islamic State group laid siege on southern Marawi city.

Presidential adviser Jesus Dureza and two senior security officials say troops retrieved the two late Saturday after a battle to recapture a key mosque and another Islamic building used as a command center by the gunmen in Marawi. The two security officials spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because they were not authorized to publicly disclose details about the ongoing assaults. An army commander, Col Romeo Brawner, says troops were battling to eradicate about up to 80 remaining militants who may be holding more than 40 hostages.

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