MANILA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday that the Philippine forces are now facing a formidable and ferocious Islamist militants who are out to kill "all nonbelievers."
Speaking to troops in Butuan City in the southern Philippines, Duterte said the Maute militants managed to secretly slipped into Marawi City a huge cache of ammunition and high-powered firearms before they launched the attack on May 23.
"We have a conglomeration of ISIS (IS) fighters there (in Marawi City)," Duterte said, justifying the need to use fighter jets and other air assets to defeat the remaining militants holed up in parts of the city.
The military has said troops are trying to flush out up to 200 militants who continue to wage a fierce fight using civilians as shields.
Duterte told the troops about the danger of IS fighters and their deadly mission to kill innocent civilians.
"You might be aware of of intelligence (report) which is really true. There's a publication there to kill all non-believers, meaning those who do not practice the religion of Islam," Duterte said.
More than 300 people, including 59 soldiers and policemen, have been killed since the fightings broke out almost four weeks ago, according to the military.
The military said the extremists continue to put up a fight but that the troops are determined to defeat the terrorists allied with the IS.
