By FRANCIS T. WAKEFIELD
Government troops successfully took control of another stronghold of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Group in the Main Battle Area (MBA) inside Marawi City on Monday.
AFP Western Mindanao Command commander Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. said they have retaken the Dansalan College, one of the strongholds of the bandits who attacked Marawi a month ago.
Dansalan College, the school were the Maute brothers completed their education, is one of the establishments taken and partially burned by the bandits.
“Soldiers are gradually taking over terrorist held structures as enemy strong points fall one by one to government forces,” Galvez said.
Troops also recovered a Cal .50 heavy machinegun and 14 other high powered firearms as they wrest control of the school.
This brings to 410 the total number of firearms recovered by operating troops in the clearing operations to neutralize terrorists and criminal elements in the main battle area.
Galvez also said a cadaver of a foreign looking individual was also recovered by troops and is believed that it is one of the reported foreign fighters from Singapore.
Galvez added that a total of 11 suspected foreign fighters have been reportedly killed so far.
Meantime, AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said a total of 337 Isis-inspired Maute Group terrorists has already been killed since they occupied Marawi City last May 23.
In an interview, Padilla said as of 6:30 p.m. Monday, a total of 85 government forces have been killed in the fighting. The number of civilians killed remains as 39.
Padilla said civilians rescued by troops from inside Marawi City remains at 1,717 while high powered firearms taken from terrorists lairs increased to 410.