MARAWI CITY: Philippine security forces dropped more bombs on Saturday on a southern city where they have been battling Islamist militants for five days, vowing no let up despite the start of Ramadan. “We have identified where they are consolidating so we are doing surgical air strikes to destroy the local terrorist group,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera told Agence France-Presse. Military spokesman Herrera said the security operations to rid Marawi of the gunmen would continue despite the start of Ramadan. “It is painful for the Maranao (the name for local Muslims) that it is Ramadan but our action now is to protect Marawi,” Herrera said. “They also have sympathizers from private armed groups,” Herrera said.

Source: Manila Times May 27, 2017 08:37 UTC