AFP: 5 killed, 31 wounded on gov’t side in ongoing Marawi clash

At least five government troops have been killed in the ongoing firefight between security forces and members of local terror group Maute in Marawi City, a military official said Wednesday.

“5 KIA [killed in action], 28 WIA [wounded in action] government side,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said in a text message to reporters.

He did not provide further details.

But in an interview with radio dzBB, Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, spokesperson of 1st Infantry Division, said they have recorded 31 wounded on the part of government forces.

“May 31 wounded in action, five killed in action,” he said.

Western Mindanao Command spokesperson Capt. Joann Petinglay said that the military cannot provide the number of casualties on the Maute side as they have not yet been able to penetrate the area where the terror group was hiding.

“Ang sabi ng soldiers natin doon sa Brgy. Basak meron silang nakitang natutumba na Maute [member], however hindi natin ito mapasok-pasok kasi medyo fortified ‘yung kanilang pinagtataguan,” she said.

“Malalakas yung kalibre ng baril na hawak-hawak ng grupo, but eventually and hopefully mapapasok natin within the day or bago mag-sundown at ‘yun nga may nakita sila na casualty sa grupo na hindi natin ma-confirm kung ilan dahil hindi malapitan,” she said.

Petinglay added that the military is studying measures to prevent the spill-over of fighting to other areas.

“Tinitingnan kung ano yung mga dapat na gawin bago pa ito mangyari including yung possibility na spill-out sa ibang areas na kino-contain lang siya dito at yung possibility din na merong mag-diversionary tactics or incidents sa ibang lugar just to ease pressure dito sa Marawi,” she said.

“So tinitingnan po natin ito and we are hoping that in the next one, two days matapos ito,” she added.

Petinglay said they cannot prove details of the operation.

“For operational reason, security of our troops and security na rin ng civilians na nandun kaya hindi natin made-detail yung specifics doon sa area,” she said. — BM, GMA News