The Philippine military said on September 17 it had captured the command center of Islamic State group supporters who have besieged a southern city for nearly four months. / AFP PHOTO / Ferdinandh CABRERA
(Eagle News) — Government troops have now take control of Masiu Bridge in Marawi City, considered as the last of three critical bridges that the Islamist fighters had occupied at the start of the war so they could control the city’s business district.
Masiu bridge is also the bridge that had been used as a “possible escape route” of the Islamist terrorists in Marawi City, consisting of the Maute group, the Abu Sayyaf group, and the foreign terrorists helping them establish an ISIS caliphate in the area.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella announced this latest victory of government troops, as all three critical bridges that span the Agus River in Marawi City have now been occupied by government forces.
“Government troops’ control of the Masiu Bridge is a significant development in our goal of ending the rebellion in Marawi,” Abella said.
“The Masiu Bridge is the bridge said to be closest to Lake Lanao and is a possible escape route of the remaining terrorist rebels still holed up in the main battle area,” he explained.
The bridge is also referred to as the “Raya Madaya Bridge.” From the highway, it goes into the lakeside village.
The two other bridges crossing the Agus River are the Baloi bridge and the Bayabao bridge which were taken over by the government forces on July 20 and September 1, respectively.
With these recent victories, Abella said that both the military and police forces fighting the terrorists in Mindanao are close to liberating Marawi City in what the government termed as the “final push.”
“Government troops are now in the final push and despite the enemy’s continued resistance, our recent successes would hopefully lead to the eventual liberation of the entire city and pave the way back to normalcy,” he said.
(Eagle News Service)