Troops close to retaking Marawi Maute militants present in only nine out of city’s 96 districts, says military

Xxxxxxxxxxx: Philippine marines advancing their positions as more soldiers reinforce to fight the Maute group and (inset) a view of the group’s stronghold with an IS flag in Marawi City in southern Philippines in southern Philippines. — Reuters

MARAWI: The Philippines military said it was close to retaking a southern city held for a seventh day by militants, as helicopters unleashed more rockets on positions held by the rebels aligned with Islamic State.

The clashes in Marawi city with the Maute militia, a group hardly known a year ago, has become the biggest security challenge of Rodrigo Duterte’s 11-month presidency, with gunmen resisting air and ground assaults and still in control of central parts of a city of 200,000 people.