Filipino authorities have reached out to parties who may be able to talk with Muslim militants in a bid to secure the freedom of hostages in a southern city where a week of fighting has killed 129 people, officials said on Wednesday.
Troops have cleared almost 90 per cent of Marawi city, where the gunmen linked to ISIS have been fending off government troops since a botched raid to capture a veteran rebel leader triggered a militant siege, said military spokesman Brig Gen Restituto Padilla. He said that militant leader Isnilon Hapilon is believed to be still in Marawi.
