MARAWI CITY: Residents of the country’s Islamic capital where Islamic State (IS) supporters waged a brutal five-month battle began returning home on Tuesday, but gunfire greeted them as soldiers scoured devastated neighborhoods for remaining militants. The militants had occupied Marawi City on May 23 in what President Rodrigo Duterte and security analysts said was a bid to establish a Southeast Asian base for IS. ‘Joy and sadness’In the western half of the city, which largely escaped the fighting, hundreds of residents had begun returning. However, the authorities said the military had yet to give the all-clear for residents to return because of safety concerns. The President however did not give a deadline for the Marawi rehabilitation.

Source: Manila Times October 24, 2017 18:33 UTC