Aside from bullets from Maute snipers, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are becoming a cause of death for many soldiers fighting the terrorists in Marawi City.
Western Mindanao Command Spokesperson Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay says, three government combatants have been killed this week from bombs that exploded as they were clearing buildings abandoned by fleeing terrorists.
The latest fatality involving one soldier occured yesterday.
The IEDs pose quite a huge risk to the lives of government troops as they get closer to enemy positions.
Last Saturday, blasts from IEDs reportedly killed 5 government troopers.
At about 11 am on Friday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) launched air strikes targeting three villages still being controlled by the Maute group.
Pilots are taking caution so as not to accidentally bomb spots where soldiers on the ground are taking positions.
114 soldiers and policemen have died from the siege in Marawi City since fighting started on May 23, 2017.
