MANILA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Some 49 members of the Maute Group have been killed in southern Philippines by the government forces as of Tuesday.
It was revealed by Armed Forces of the Philippines' public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo in an interview in Camp Aguinaldo.
Arevalo said sporadic fighting has been continuing Tuesday around the old and abandoned townhall of Butig, Lanao del Sur province, which the Maute Group occupied last Saturday.
He said the number of wounded soldiers increased to 21, from 13 the previous day.
"Up to now, they (soldiers) have yet to occupy the specific portion where members of the Maute Group are in, but the operations are ongoing," he said.
Arevalo said soldiers are undertaking the mission with caution because of the presence of enemy snipers and improvised explosive devices that were possibly planted by the armed group.
The military had earlier said there were also skirmishes in other areas in Butig. Officials said the Maute Group occupied the building in response to ongoing operations against the group in the province.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said there seems to be a link between the Maute Group and the Islamic State (IS).
The Maute Group, along with the Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, pledged allegiance to the IS a couple of years ago.
