(MARAWI,
Philippines) — Philippine fighter aircraft unleashed rocket fire
against militants on Saturday, prompting villagers to hoist white flags
to avoid being targeted as the military turned to airstrikes to try to
end the siege of a southern city by Islamic State group-allied
militants.
The
predominantly Muslim city of Marawi, home to some 200,000 people, has
been under siege since a failed army raid Tuesday on a suspected hideout
of Isnilon Hapilon, who is on Washington’s list of most-wanted
terrorists.
Hapilon
got away and fighters loyal to him took over parts of the city, burning
buildings, taking cover in houses and seizing about a dozen hostages,
including a Catholic priest. Their condition remains unknown.
At
least 48 people have died in the fighting, including 35 militants and
11 soldiers, officials say, adding that an unspecified number of
civilians are feared to have died.
While up to 90 percent of Marawi’s people have fled amid the fighting, many who were trapped or refused to leave their homes have impeded military assaults, officials said.
That has slowed efforts to end the most serious crisis President Rodrigo Duterte has faced since he took power nearly a year ago.
Source: TIME(Yahoo)...More...
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