Clearing operations vs Maute to continue, says Task Force Marawi spox

From the Philippine Information Agency (Aug 15): Clearing operations vs Maute to continue, says Task Force Marawi spox

Fighting has remained intense here yesterday, Aug. 14, as the government troops are still clearing a remaining square-kilometer area in the main business district here according to Capt. Joan Petinglay, spokesperson of Task Force Marawi.
In a press briefing, Petinglay said, “our soldiers are doing their best to neutralize every member of the ISIS-inspired Maute terror group, and to rescue as many hostages as they can.”

Petinglay also reported that 562 terrorists were killed and 619 firearms were recovered since the clashes between the Maute group and the government soldiers erupted last May 23.

The terrorists have killed 45 civilians and 128 soldiers and policemen.

In the same press briefing, Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) also revealed that the local chief executives of Lanao del Sur had met in Iligan City to discuss and find ways to counter extremism in the area.

The local government officials and security officials have forged to work for long-term solutions to the security threats in Lanao del Sur.

Presently, a total of 104,832 families with 467, 377 individuals got displaced by the Marawi crisis.

Government agencies have continued to provide the affected families with relief goods while the Department of Health (DOH) continues to extend free health care services for the evacuees.

Transitional shelters will also be built to relocate the evacuees from cramped evacuation centers.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1431502795334/clearing-operations-vs-maute-to-continue-says-task-force-marawi-spox