91 firearms from Maute group recovered by gov’t forces
Philippine authorities on May 30 warned Islamist militants occupying parts of the city to surrender or die, as attack helicopters pounded the gunmen’s strongholds where up to 2,000 residents were feared trapped. / AFP / Ted Aljibe
(Eagle News) — At least 89 members of the Islamist terrorists, including the Maute group, had been killed and about 90 percent of Marawi City had been cleared of the extremists, according to government authorities in their latest report.
In the MIndanao Hour briefing on Wednesday, May 31, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that the 89 Maute casualities were confirmed by eyewitness accounts and body count.
The miltary had also recovered 91 firearms from the Maute terrorists, 81 of them high-powered. Because of this, the Islamist terrorists firepower had been greatly reduced, explained Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. General Restituto Padilla.
Abella said that the government forces had also rescued 960 civilians from Marawi City.
The civilians killed by local terrorists had reached 19.
Padilla said there continues to be a very “positive development” for the government as more Maute members and other Islamist terrorists are killed, their firearms recovered and with 90 percent of Marawi City now cleared of the extremists.
Remaining 10% of Marawi city held by Islamist terrorists
The remaining 10 percent of Marawi City being held by the Maute are expected to be heavily secured by the extremists as this is where they are also holding their hostages, said Padilla.
He said that the 90 percent cleared parts of Marawi City came from information from government troops on the ground.
“There is 10 percent more to go and that 10 percent is heavily guarded,” Padilla said.
Meanwhile, the number of government troopers killed reached 21 as of 2 p.m., on May 30, said Abella. The soldiers and policemen wounded in action have reached 72.
Abella said peace corridors will be established within Marawi so that trapped civilians in the area would be rescued, and for humanitarian aid to reach the non-combatants.
Wave white flag or item, says Padilla for those who want to be rescued
Padilla also gave the basic guidelines for civilians who would want to be rescued by government.
He said that they should wave a white flag, or any white cloth or item to signal government forces on the presence of civilians who would want to be rescued.
“If you are trapped in areas of conflict, and you are aware of the military forces, please prepare a white cloth, and raise this white flag in the area where you are,” Padilla said during the government’s Mindanao Hour.
He said that the first that should come out should be women and children.
He explained that they should then listen to the government forces instructions when they are instucted to move forward.
“Ang punto po namin dito, huwag po kayong matatakot,” he said.