ELEVEN members of the Maute Group were killed, while four soldiers were wounded, in the ongoing dislodgement operations against the terror group in Butig, Lanao Del Sur.
This was confirmed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Colonel Edgard Arevalo on Sunday, November 27.
Operations against the bandits started on Saturday, November 26, when an estimated 50 to 100 terrorists occupied parts of the town early Saturday.
Arevalo said the bandits' decision to hole up in Butig is a reaction to the military's ongoing offensive against the lawless band.
As of writing the story, operations are still ongoing in the area, resulting in the killing of 11 Maute Group members, confirmed by signal and intelligence sources, and another five wounded.
Operations are still ongoing as this time, Arevalo stressed.
Government losses at the moment are placed at four soldiers wounded, Arevalo said.
"We are already conducting operations and in anticipation of our action they (Maute Group) thought Butig will be our objective, so what they did they rushed to the place and occupied and (took defensive) positions there. Because of that, we were constrained into conducting operations to dislodge them," he added.
At the moment, the bandits are holed up in the old and unoccupied Butig municipal hall. (PNA)