Two high-powered firearms and a pair of night vision goggles are recovered from the enemies
The military said 5 Maute fighters were killed in a heavy firefight here after midnight on Tuesday, September 12, just hours after President Rodrigo Duterte visited for a 4th time this war-torn city.
Two high-powered firearms and a pair of night vision goggles were also recovered from the enemies.
"The heavy firefight which ensued about 30 minutes yielded 5 'confirmed' killed on the enemy side with 4 enemy body counts. Two of the bodies were retrieved by the government forces while the other two were left on the site because of dangerous circumstances," Colonel Romeo Brawner, Task Group Ranao deputy commander, said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Though there were only 4 enemy body counts physically accounted for, the government used the term "confirmed kills" as verified by military snipers.
Brawner also added: "There were no casualties on the government side."
The firefight involved troops of the Marines Special Operations Group (Marsog) under Task Group Tiger.
The military said the morale of the troops in Marawi was boosted by the visit of Duterte on Tuesday.
"According to the commander of the JTF Marawi, Brigadier General Rolly Bautista, the troops' fighting spirit was further boosted because of the recent strong motivation and encouragement of the commander in chief," said Brawner.
"The President's recent presence in the main battle area has left a mark in our troops in their strong desire to end the crisis in Marawi," he added.
Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera compared Duterte's visit to a father visiting his children to encourage them before a big challenge. The country's top security and defense officials also joined Duterte inside the battle area on Monday.
Herrera said the recovery of the high-powered firearms has a "strategic importance" as the military's assault intensifies.
Herrera said the firearms will also be subjected to inquiry to determine where they came from and how the enemies got a hold of them.
The military said the battle area is about 20 hectares. The military said it has penetrated a major defensive position of the local terrorist groups after taking 23 buildings on Sunday including one that was at least 5 stories high.
The military has also been trying to convince the enemies to surrender or let the women and children out of the battle area.
"We are convincing them through our loudspeakers to allow women and children out of the main battle area. That is one of the efforts we are doing. If fighters do not want to surrender, we are telling them to allow the women and children to escape or to get out of the main battle area," said Brawner.
Brawner said there have been surrender feelers. He did not elaborate.
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