CLASHES between soldiers and members of the Maute Group in Marawi had diminished in fierceness and frequency, the military said on Monday as the siege entered its 50th day. “So we are doing our clearing operations alley by alley, street by street, block by block, house to house. Medyo bumaba na rin frequency (of fighting) sa ilang lugar (By our estimate, there are only 80 to 100 terrorists left in Marawi. Militants seized Marawi, considered the Muslim capital of the largely Catholic Philippines, on May 23 in a bid to create an IS province. Similarly to the hostages who are being forced.”Shortly after seizing Marawi, gunmen took at least a dozen hostages, including a Catholic priest.

Source: Manila Times July 10, 2017 17:03 UTC