Philippines: AFP rains artillery bombs as Marawi battle nears closure

The artillery bombs were dropped on identified rebel positions in Marawi City so that AFP is able to wipe out the militants

Picture for representation
Debris and fire is seen after an OV-10 Bronco aircraft released a bomb, during an airstrike, as government forces continue their assault against insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 19, 2017. Reuters

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) continue to rain artillery bombs on identified rebel positions in Marawi City. This is probably the last attack on the militants as soldiers believe they will be able to wipe out the rebels after their number significantly reduced from the original 700 to 60.

The Philippine military told International Business Times (IBT) that they have deployed several fire artilleries in different locations adjacent to rebels' position and started shelling bombs on their strongholds.

IBT was allowed to enter the artillery base in Marawi to cover Philippine soldiers computing the angles in order to make sure that the artilleries hit their targets accurately.

Hundreds of bombs are stocked in crates in the base and the authorities will continue to use them in the next few days so that when the rebels' position will be disabled, thousands of soldiers will be closing into the nerve center of the rebels' positions.

Dozens of soldiers were also deployed around the fire artillery base to prevent attacks from the enemy. The Fire Artillery Units of the Armed of the Philippines (AFP) is one of the most useful military strategies in suppressing rebellions in Philippines. The use of artillery strategies has been deployed in many areas of Mindanao in times of armed conflict.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said that the war in Marawi will end in 15 days but according to the military they are exhausting all efforts to finish the armed conflict at the soonest possible time.

The Marawi armed conflict which begun last May 23 has already killed 399 militants and officers have also recovered around 502 firearms in the battle zone. However, the government side also suffered 93 casualties and 13 of the soldiers were killed during the gunfight was caused by unfriendly fires.

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