By FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent
MARAWI City–Government troops suffered more casualties as they attempted to meet the Oct. 15 deadline to defeat the Isis-inspired Maute group now cornered in a two-hectare area beside Lake Lanao.
Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Task Force Ranao, said 20 soldiers, including an Army battalion commander, were wounded on Saturday trying to meet the deadline on Sunday.
Brawner said the troops however were able to rescue a 16-year-old female hostage on Saturday.
He did not reveal the identities of the military officer and the hostage however.
“The officer was hit in the lower extremities of his body. The hostage is okay and was able to provide us with critical information,” Brawner said.
Brawner said troops were still finding it difficult to dislodge the Isis-Maute gunmen hidden in dilapidated buildings and basements.
“Until now we are still assaulting the defensive positions of the Maute-Isis despite the fact we have set today, this day, as target date for finishing the armed conflict,” Brawner said.
Armed Forces Western Command Chief Lt. Carlito Galvez earlier set the Oct. 15 deadline of clearing Marawi City of Isis-Maute terrorists.
President Duterte and other officials have set at least nine deadlines in the past but the tenacity of the terrorists have thwarted all of their attempts to put an end to the fighting.
“Our troops are really fighting hard,”Brawner said.
He said Isis-Maute gunmen who are fighting at the edge of Lake Lanao, were using women and children hostages as combatants in their last defensive stand.
Brawner said the hostages were also used as baits to draw the fire from government troops.
Brawner said these information came from the young female hostage when she was interviewed by her rescuers.
The military said they believed there were about 100 non-combatants with the Isis-Maute terrorists—about 40 hostages and 60 family members of the terrorists.
Brawner said this complicate the operations against the terrorists.
He did not set a new deadline to end the fighting.
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