As many as 180,000 people, about 90 percent of the population, have fled the usually bustling town due to the violence, according to Reuters. The group of fighters however have turned out to be remarkably well-armed and resilient. In recent years, small militant groups in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia have begun unifying under the banner of ISIS. The fighters' support network in Marawi remains unclear, though the power of one militant group — the Mautes — has grown in recent years. Hapilon is an Islamic preacher and former commander of the Abu Sayyaf militant group who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2014.

Source: Fox News May 30, 2017 02:03 UTC