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AFP: Stop social media posts that will worsen Marawi City situation


The military on Tuesday night called on the public to "refrain" from posting information on social media that would just aggravate the situation in Marawi City.

"We fervently urge our people to refrain from posting in social media information that would tend exacerbate the situation. Especially photos and videos on the movements of our troops and on terrorist propaganda circulating through social media," said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Edgar Arevalo in a statement.

"We will continue to provide updates as often as possible with due regard to the security of our operating forces and the conduct of the operations itself," he added.

There are photos and videos circulating over social media on the supposed status of the area following atrocities committed by Maute terrorist group.

Arevalo noted that the "sporadic firefights heard were harassment actions by terrorist sympathizers that were conducted as diversionary tactics to divide the attention of the reinforcing AFP personnel."

Arevalo also assured the public that the situation in Marawi City has been stabilized, noting that there were no foreign terrorists involved in the gunfights.

"Security forces are in full control of the situation. The armed men we are dealing with are not ISIS but local terrorist group. The news being circulated  by these terrorists and their sympathizers are spurious and are meant to spread lies and disinformation," Arevalo said.

Arevalo also dismissed the "eyewitness account" that the Amai Pakpak Hospital was occupied and that there were people held hostage.

Arevalo added that the Marawi City Hall was not occupied by armed groups.

He also said that operations are ongoing to fully contain the situation. — BAP, GMA News

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