Omar Maute and Isnilon Hapilon, Filipino terrorists who lead the Islamic State group in Southeast Asia, have been killed in Marawi after months of fighting in the war-torn southern Philippine city.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed this to reporters on Monday, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Maute, with his brother Abdullah, hoisted black flags of the Islamic State group and set fire to Dansalan College in May, marking the beginning of a months-long siege in the Islamic city.
READ: Thousands flee Marawi City
In June, the brothers’ parents- father Cayamora and mother Farhana- were arrested in separate police operations. Cayamora died in August.
The military earlier said the Maute’s other brothers—Abdullah, Madi, Otto—have already been killed in the clashes.
Since the fighting began, about 822 terrorists, 162 government troops and 47 civilians have been killed.
READ: Marawi: From a botched raid to Martial Law
Meanwhile, Isnilon Hapilon was said to be the anointed ISIS leader in Southeast Asia. The ongoing clashes supposedly started when government forces tried to serve an arrest warrant on Hapilon.
Malacañang earlier announced a PHP5 million (US$100,000) bounty for the “neutralization” of each of the Maute brothers, and another PHP10 million (US$200,000) for Hapilon.
Since fighting between state forces and the Maute group erupted about 5 months ago, the military was able to kill about 753 terrorists. Forty-seven civilians and 155 soldiers also died in the conflict.
The siege has reduced the once-bustling city of Marawi into ruins, with many buildings and even mosques completely destroyed and riddled with bullets and shrapnel.
President Rodrigo Duterte has already ordered the creation of a task force that will deal with the rehabilitation of Marawi with at least a PHP20-billion (US$390 million) budget.
READ: Army says battle for Philippine city to end soon, 1,000 dead
with reports from ABS-CBN News, Agence France-Presse
