Up to 18 hectares still to be cleared in Marawi — AFP

This photo taken on July 22, 2017 shows Philippine Marines patrolling a deserted street at the frontline in Marawi on the southern island of Mindanao. / AFP PHOTO / TED ALJIBE

Security forces are still clearing about 15 to 18 hectares of land in Marawi City, where fighting with IS-linked Maute group has dragged on to almost four months.

“’Yung ginagalawan nila nasa 10 hectares na lang pero yung area na yet to be cleared nasa 15 to 18 [hectares],” Armed Forces public affairs chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said on Tuesday.

(The place where they’re in is only around 10 hectares but the area that has yet to be cleared is around 15 to 18 hectares.)

But the battle area is confined to 10 hectares and around 300 buildings have yet to be cleared.

“Mga 300 plus [buildings] pa, conservative estimate ‘yan,” Arevalo said.

(There’s still 300 plus buildings, and that’s a conservative estimate.)

But the official could not say when the fighting in Marawi will end.

“Wala tayong binibigay na deadline because we do not want to pressure…siguro at the very least ang maririnig natin dun sa mga officials na nagsasalita na they are hopeful but no one could really say kung kelan ito matatapos,” he said.

(We’re not giving any deadline because we do not want to put pressure… maybe at the very least, what we’ll hear from the officials who will speak is that they are hopeful but no one could really say when it will end.)

On Monday, the military said they are fighting about 60 to 80 terrorists, while hostages held are believed from 40 to 60. /je