(Residents fleeing from Marawi City are cramped on a truck as they traverse a traffic gridlock near a police checkpoint at the entrance of Iligan City on May 24, 2017. Photo credits: Ted Aljibe/AFP)
Heavy fighting between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Maute local terrorist group has resumed in Marawi City.
Gunshots and explosions are being heard in the heart of the city as of 11 am Thursday.
Heavy shelling is reportedly happening less than 500 meters from the Provincial Capitol, which is at the heart of Marawi.
Street battles seem to be more intense compared to the clashes from dawn until the evening of Wednesday.
Local reports indicate that the Maute group seems to have been able to regroup.
They are still seen walking along the streets of Marawi, bearing the ISIS sign and wearing black.
Although the main portions of the city are now under the control of the military, the terrorists continue to take defensive positions, especially along the bridges that lead to Marawi.