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Military says ‘ground zero’ in Marawi stragglers-free

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THE Armed Forces declared Thursday that the center of fighting in Marawi City had been cleared of Maute stragglers, nearly six months since terrorists stormed the lakeshore southern capital city.

AFP Public Affairs Office Chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said after the defeat of the Islamic State-inspired composite terrorist group—Maute and Abu Sayyaf Group—in Marawi, security forces had not figured in any encounter with suspected stragglers believed still hiding in the main battle area.

“But be that as it may, if there are still remaining, we would like to ask them to turn themselves in,” Arevalo said.

He explained that in many cases, a straggler usually concealed themselves in basements and other places, thus preventing them from grasping the present environment in Marawi City.

“They don’t know what is happening, that the fighting is already finished. So we are hopeful that if they happen to know the real situation, they either turn over their firearms or give up, otherwise they will suffer the same fate as that of their companions, because we will not let terrorism thrive and rule our country,” Arevalo explained.

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Earlier, Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Ranao, said that 12 Maute terrorists were pinned down following a firefight that sparked early morning of Nov. 5, lasting till noon.

Brawner said the stragglers were part of the remaining Maute-IS terrorist following the killing of Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, the emir of IS in Southeast Asia and chieftain of the Maute group respectively.

Among those killed in the last battle were Ibrahim Maute, also known as Abu Jamil, cousin of Maute brothers Omar and Abdullah.

Arevalo, in his talk with Brawner, revealed the possibility that all Maute stragglers who took part in the Marawi City siege had been neutralized.

 Government troops in Marawi are currently focused in their clearing operations in the Marawi City ruins to be able to expedite the reconstruction and rehabilation of the war-torn city.

He said if indeed there were still stragglers hiding and just buying time for their escape, troops were  ready to engage them, Arevalo said.

Meanwhile,  Vice President Leni Robredo set foot Thursday in the main battle area of Marawi City, 

as the government begins rehabilitation efforts for the city. 

She underscored that a “whole-of-nation” approach was necessary in efforts to rebuild Marawi. 

She urged unity as well as convergence, in assisting the communities in Lanao del Sur, to avoid duplication of efforts.

She reiterated the residents must themselves be involved in the process, and their cultural and religious sensitivities considered as well.

 

 

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