The two final surviving leaders of a deadly siege in the southern Philippines, including a top Asian terror suspect, were killed on Monday in one of the final battles by thousands of troops to retake the last area in Marawi city held by pro-Islamic State group militants, security officials said.
Four military and police officials told The Associated Press that Isnilon Hapilon, who is listed among the FBI’s most-wanted terror suspects, and Omarkhayam Maute were killed in a gunbattle and their bodies were found on Monday in Marawi.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to make a public announcement yet of the latest developments in Marawi, a mosque-studded centre of Islamic faith in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
“That is good news,” military spokesman Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla said, but added he could not yet publicly confirm the killings of the top militants.
Military leaders had said last month that three leaders of the militants who began the siege of the lakeside city on May 23 were killed in the months of fighting but the two still alive were leading a final stand.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in the Marawi violence, including more than 800 militants. Army Col. Romeo Brawner said on Sunday about 40 militants were still fighting in a small residential area by Lanao Lake, including 100 relatives of the gunmen and civilian hostages.
At least 17 hostages, including an infant and women, were rescued by troops in the scene of the battle, which the officials said may finally end this week. U.S.-trained army and police commandos crawled toward militant positions overnight and launched an assault.
The siege has sparked fears that the Islamic State group may gain a foothold in Southeast Asia by influencing and providing funds to local militants as it suffers battle defeats in Syria and Iraq. The United States and Australia have deployed surveillance aircraft to help Filipino troops battling the Marawi attackers.
