Military resumes air strikes in Marawi City

MANILA- The military resumed air strikes against remaining Islamic State-linked Maute group terrorists in Marawi City on Saturday afternoon as government vowed to end the crisis as soon as possible.

The bomb drops resumed a few days since 10 soldiers were killed in a botched air strike on Wednesday.

FA-50 fighter jets flew over Marawi City and dropped bombs in a bid to flush out terrorists still hiding around the city.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the militants were backed by the Islamic State, estimating that 200 to 250 terrorists were still in the conflict zone.

On Saturday noon, police and soldiers were caught off guard when an explosion was heard in a residential area in the city.

The military had said on Friday that it had pulled out SF-260 trainer jets from Marawi City following the bungled government air strike Wednesday.

The death toll in the Marawi City siege has reached 175, according to the military, among them 120 terrorists, 36 government troops and 19 civilians.-with a report from Edwin Sevidal, ABS-CBN News