The spokesperson of the military – Task Force Marawi, Captain Joann Patinglay, confirmed on July 25 the highest cause of injury and death of government troops are from improvised explosive devices since the beginning of the armed conflict. / AFP PHOTO / ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES / HANDOUT /
(Eagle News) — Seven government soldiers were injured following an improvised explosive device explosion in Marawi City, with two of the injured men most likely to undergo amputations because of the incident, an army official said.
According to Western Mindanao Command Chief Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez, the seven soldiers were wounded while they were doing the clearing operations in the war-torn city.
“We have seven wounded and I believe ‘yung dalawa most probably mapuputulan ng paa because of the IED. ‘Yun ang medyo complicated sa ginagawa natin ngayon,” Galvez said.
Galvez also reported that the military has recovered more than 1,200 IEDs in establishments once occupied by Maute members.
Aside from IEDs, high-powered firearms, cannons and bomb from aircrafts have also been recovered by the military forces.
As of August 13, the death toll in the Marawi siege had reached 735.
In the reported death toll, 562 came from the side of the Islamist terrorists, and 128 of the deaths were soldiers and police officers. The number of civilians killed remains at 45.
Last month, the spokesperson of the military – Task Force Marawi, Captain Joann Patinglay, confirmed on July 25 the highest cause of injury and death of government troops are from improvised explosive devices since the beginning of the armed conflict.