DWDD: SAFETY OF HOSTAGES | AFP, No deadline set for end of Maraw siege

From DWDD AFP Civil Relations Service Radio Website (Oct 12): SAFETY OF HOSTAGES  |   AFP, No deadline set for end of Maraw siege

MANILA (DWDD) – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not keen on giving any deadline on when the Marawi crisis will end.

This is in consideration for the safety of the remaining hostages still at the hands of the Daesh-inspired Maute terror group.

According to AFP Chief of Staff Gen Eduardo Año, they are taking the campaign slowly but surely for fear that the Maute group might turn their ire on the remaining hostages if they would intensify their campaign just to accomplish a deadline.

This, despite a previous announcement that the clearing operations by the AFP on the whole city might be over by October 15.

Gen Año added that they don’t want to give the Maute group any telegraphic message pertaining to the end of the siege, because this might be used by the terror group to their advantage. Any announcement of a deadline might trigger the terrorist to harm the remaining 38 hostages, mostly women and children. There have also been reports that some of the male hostages have either converted or were forced to serve as fighters by the Maute group. AES/ALS

http://dwdd.com.ph/2017/10/12/safety-of-hostages-afp-no-deadline-set-for-end-of-maraw-siege/