15 held hostage by Maute in Marawi –ARMM gov

Members of the Maute group have taken 15 people in Marawi City hostage, a News TV Live report said Friday, citing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman.

The report also quoted Hataman as saying that the ongoing conflict has driven some 2,000 Marawi residents out of their homes.

Hataman called on the Maute group, which has linked themselves to the international terrorist group ISIS, to stop the hostilities and respect Ramadan, a holy month among Muslims.

The conflict in Marawi City has prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to put the entire Mindanao under martial rule earlier this week.

The military said 31 members of the group have been killed while 13 had perished on the government side. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News