Maute recruitment has ‘significantly slowed down’ — AFP

Recruitment by the IS-inspired Maute group has significantly slowed down after some of its members have surrendered, the military claimed on Wednesday.

“Certain conditions indicate that the enemy’s recruitment has significantly slowed down following the surrender of Maute-IS remnants,” said Col. Romeo Brawner Jr, spokesperson of Joint Task Force Ranao in a statement.

“According to surrenderers, most of the remnants have been isolated and have lost their will to fight following the series of military operations conducted by the 103rd Brigade in Lanao del Sur,” he added.

The military claimed early this year that the Maute group continued to recruit new members in parts of Mindanao in preparation for another siege.

But despite the new developments, Brawner said the security forces remain postured to thwart any possible attack and protect communities.

Around October last year, Marawi City was liberated from terrorists after five months of clashes that killed more than 1,000 people. The whole of Mindanao was then placed under martial law when the fighting broke out on May 23.  /muf