AFP: Fighting in Marawi may be over within the day
Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Task Group Ranao said the hostilities may end within the 153rd day into the crisis. AP/Bullit Marquez, File
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the firefight in Marawi City, which began in May, may end on Sunday.
Army Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Task Group Ranao was echoing what Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez, Western Mindanao Command chief , said about the hostilities ending within the 153rd day of the crisis.
“It may end today,” Brawner said in a televised press conference, adding troops are doing all they can to end the crisis by midnight.
According to Brawner, there are about 30 terrorists of the Maute group still hiding in a basement of an undisclosed building in Marawi City. He said the group has around five foreign fighters with them but that the foreigners may already have been killed in firefights.
'Kill, capture, or let them surrender'
The AFP is looking into killing or capturing the terrorists but have also asked them to surrender. The government has promised they will be “treated humanely” when they give up.
Brawner said some of the Maute's female hostages have become wives of the militants and have taken up arms against the government.
Brawner added that those who pledged allegiance with the rebels may also face charges even if they were former hostages.
“They are now fighters. They have chosen to fight it out together with their husbands,” Brawner said, adding that some of the women believe that they may go to hell if they do not join the terrorists.
While the military does not know who leads the remnants of the local terror group after the deaths of their leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, Brawner said the government has repeatedly urged them to free their hostages and surrender.
Brawner said there has been a “leadership vacuum” after the deaths of Hapilon and Maute, who were killed in a military operation last Monday.
On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the liberation of Marawi City from terrorists. Firefights however continued as government forces sought to neutralize all the remaining militants in the city.
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