Marawi crisis death toll reaches 104

The death toll in the Marawi City crisis has breached the 100 mark, according to latest data from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla reported that a total of 65 Maute members and 20 more from the government side have been killed in the ongoing military operations in the city.

The number of civilians killed as of 6 p.m. of May 29 was still at 19.

Padilla said 42 of the slain Maute members were confirmed by the battalion commander in charge of the operations in the city and the remaining 23 were confirmed by eye witnesses.

In an earlier radio dzBB interview, Padilla said the 42 Maute members that have been confirmed killed by the ground forces were fatalities from the air strikes.

Of the total number of killed troops of the government, 17 were members of the AFP and three were policemen.

Padilla also reported that a total of 560 civilians trapped in the operations in the city have been rescued.

Troops have also recovered a total of 55 firearms.

President Rodrigo Duterte place the entire Mindanao under martial law following the Maute group's attack in the city on May 23.

In his report, Padilla reiterated that military air strikes are "judiciously used to prevent collateral damage and employed at specific targets of resistance to protect our troops and hasten clearing of the city of terrorist elements who continue to resist.."

The military spokesman also reiterated the AFP's call for the remaining Maute group members in the city to surrender.

Government forces are eyeing to end the crisis in Marawi City within the week. —Joseph Trista Roxas/ALG, GMA News