MARAWI CITY: Philippine troops pounded Islamist militants holding parts of southern Marawi city with air strikes and artillery on Saturday as more soldiers were deployed and the death toll rose to more than 300 after nearly a month of fighting. Also on Saturday, 400 fresh troops were airlifted to Marawi from the central Philippines, ANC television said quoting military officials. The military has said at least eight foreign fighters from Chechnya, Yemen, Malaysia and Indonesia were among the militants killed in the Marawi fighting. Hundreds of thousands displacedThe overall death toll rose to 329 with 310—225 militants, 59 soldiers and 26 civilians— killed in the conflict, according to government figures. But he said the figures were based on estimates a few days ago “so this number could have dropped significantly”.

Source: Manila Times June 17, 2017 10:52 UTC