Army Confirms Islamic mMilitants Holding a Catholic Priest, 99 Others Hostage

Militants fighting Government troops in Marawi in the southern Philippines were holding about 100 hostages that included a Catholic priest.The army said on Thursday even as it predicted that the crisis in the besieged city was nearing an end. Troops have “paralysed” the logistics of Islamist militants holed out in Marawi for more than two weeks, military officials said.
More than 200 militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist movement were still hiding in buildings and houses in three districts of Marawi City, 800 kilometres south of Manila, officials said.
More than 190 people, including 134 militants, eight of whom were foreigners, have been killed in the violence, the military said. The hostilities have also displaced more than 220,000 residents from Marawi City, government officials said.