Military says about 300 civilians still trapped in besieged Marawi City

MARAWI CITY - Around 300 civilians are still trapped inside Marawi City as fighting between government troops and Islamic State-linked militants enters its second month, the Philippine military said Friday.

At least 369 people have been killed during the month of hostilities, a quarter of them security forces and civilians, since Islamist militants occupied parts of Marawi on May 23.

The military said it has cornered the militants' last 100 fighters from the 500 which initially overran the town, and is racing to recapture Marawi before this weekend. Authorities worry that rebel reinforcements could arrive in the city after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Sitting in an evacuation center amongst her and her family's belongings, elementary teacher Panaudan Sumndad, who was about to file for retirement on the day fighting broke out, said she hopes no one else will ever experience what Marawi residents are currently going through.

More than 193,000 residents have been displaced by the siege. — Reuters