Philippine forces make gains in southern city under siege
MARAWI -- Philippine forces now control most of a southern city where militants linked to the Islamic State group launched a bloody siege nearly a week ago, authorities said Monday.
Only small areas of Marawi are under militants' control after six days of fighting, said Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, the military spokesman. In recent days, gunmen have managed to fend off attack helicopters, armored vehicles and scores of soldiers.
About 100 people have died in the violence, including some civilians, although authorities were still trying to assess the scope of the bloodshed.
"We can control who comes in and who comes out, who moves around and who doesn't, and we are trying to isolate these pockets of resistance that have remained," Padilla said.
