Soldiers, cops battle Maute terrorists in Marawi City

MARAWI CITY - Government troops and police battled dozens of gunmen protecting one of the world's most wanted Islamic militants in a built-up area of a southern city on Tuesday, authorities said.

At least one policeman was killed in the hunt for Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of the infamous Abu Sayyaf kidnap gang and Philippine head of the Islamic State group, according to Philippine military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano.

The fighting took place in Marawi, a mostly Muslim-populated city of about 200,000 people on the southern island of Mindanao, with the gunmen attacking a hospital during the clashes, Ano told CNN Philippines.

"Please advise people to stay inside their houses. We will clear the area," Ano said.

He said the fighting began when police and troops raided a house on Tuesday afternoon where Hapilon, the subject of a US State Department bounty of $5 million, was believed to be hiding.

This triggered fierce clashes throughout the afternoon and into the evening, with Ano estimating there were about 50 gunmen.

Photos posted on social media by Marawi residents showed the gunmen walking through the streets of Basak, a Marawi suburb of about 1,700 people.

A woman who asked not to be named told AFP by text that she saw about 10 armed men take up positions at the gate of a government hospital.

Police clashed with the gunmen near the hospital, leaving one officer seriously wounded and one of the extremists dead, she added.

The military said it could not confirm the militant's death. Ano said eight security personnel had been injured in the clashes.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/23/17/soldiers-cops-battle-maute-terrorists-in-marawi-city

Typical muslim terrorist scumbags, using a hospital as cover.

Why can't people just live in peace and harmony ?

The local college, they set into an inferno..
Time for reflection? Or action?
Fortunately,the 11 abu terrorists that came to Bohol were all hunted down and are all now, Fray Bentos.
Dead meat..
May their promised Virgins,all be ugly lying whores with festering and stinging sores.

Looks like they have REALLY pissed off Duterte now as he cuts short his talks with Putin to return home..
Don`t make him angry...You wouldn't like him when he`s angry!





Duterte declares Martial Law in Mindanao

Duterte to fly home from Russia
(UPDATE) President Rodrigo Duterte on 10 p.m. Tuesday declared Martial Law in the entire Mindanao amid the ongoing clashes between government troops and Maute group terrorists in Marawi City, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

Abella, in a briefing in Moscow, said the President ordered him to make the announcement.


He said martial law in the area will be in effect for 60 days.

"What the President has done is only for Mindanao including Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-tawi," he said.

Duterte will cut short his visit and leave Russia at 10 p.m. Moscow time, to return to Manila, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said.

He said he has spoken to his counterpart in Moscow and Russian officials understand the situation.

"They understand that the president has to return to the Philippines. I will stay behind to sign agreements. The president feels he is needed in Manila ASAP," Cayetano said.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/23/17/duterte-declares-martial-law-in-mindanao

Need this like a hole in the head. Supposed to be going back to tubod in Mindanao in few weeks time.

If I were you mate,I`d move your lot further North... Its about to go off big time IMO.

We have a few weeks before i go so will see what happens in the mean time, moving her family isn't an option, they are farmers and will never leave their place.

We have a few weeks before i go so will see what happens in the mean time, moving her family isn't an option, they are farmers and will never leave their place.

Thats close to marawi but a friend in tubod is saying she and her family is okay, so i guess its concentrated within.

Yeah it's quite close so my fiancée is more worried than usual for my safety. Hopefully it will all quieten down again within a few days.

Its gonna take more than a few days to rout out these scumbags ,but get them I`m confident they will...Problem is,they have internet connection and latest news,so many will run and hide..If I were you,I`d arrange another venue on your return..
I`m not trying to scare you..Just giving sensible advice IMO based on the current circumstances.

Thanks boots. I'm going to take any advice my other half gives me. No point in being stubborn when she is close and knows the situation.

We've family on the island and we're told that the imposition of Martial Law is an entirely appropriate response and had been expected for some time. Apart from curfews in and around Marawi, many more troops on the streets and co-manning check-points with the civilian police as well as additional security at ports and airports, little will change. Ferries will still depart and arrive to schedule and you'll be able to fly in and out.

I very much doubt that they'll need more than 60 days but if they do, I think such a request has to be approved by both Houses; I don't think the President can extend it by executive order.

This temporary martial law measure could never happen in the UK but now I hear that there will be 5000 British soldiers walking the UK streets.
Call it anything you want..I call it "appropriate response'. to the new official "critical" level.

Welcome to Marawi.

Probably IMO.. The biggest problem Duterte has had in dealing with the Abu`s in Mindanao is..Wait for it...
Widespread corruption.

It has, essentially made Mindanao and even the "safe" city of Davao no-go areas for tourists.

To the poster who was considering traveling to the area - it's completely upto you. However, whilst there is Martial Law, curfews, checkpoints and the suspension of habeus corpus exists. In such conditions, I personally would elect not to travel and wait for a better time. It's difficult, your wife's family is there. It's likely you'd be safe enough, after all we live in a world where pop concerts are targeted, but Martial Law is serious stuff. If Martial Law were declared in the UK, I'd be on the first plane out.