The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
40°F
Current Conditions
Clear sky
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

Philippines declares militants in Marawi ‘finished’

One of the first battalions to be deployed in the besieged city of Marawi in southern Philippines, arrives to a hero's welcome at Villamor Air Base Friday, Oct. 20, 2017, in suburban Pasay city southeast of Manila, Philippines. Philippine troops have captured a building where pro-Islamic State group militants made their final stand in southern Marawi city and found about 40 bodies of suspected gunmen inside, two security officials told the Associated Press on Monday. (Bullit Marquez / Associated Press)
By Jim Gomez Associated Press

CLARK, Philippines – Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana declared the last of the pro-Islamic State group militants in southern Marawi city were “finished.”

He told reporters Monday in Clark that troops recovered 42 bodies of the last group of militant stragglers.

He said, “Those are the last group of stragglers of Mautes and they were caught in one building so there was a firefight, so they were finished.”

Two security officials had told The Associated Press earlier Monday that troops had found the bodies after capturing the building where the militants made their final stand.

Lorenzana said hostages the militants had held were recovered a few days earlier. He said, “There are no more militants inside Marawi City.”

The Marawi siege involving hundreds of black flag-waving gunmen was launched exactly five months ago.