2 elite Scout Rangers identified as casualties of latest friendly fire

Two members of the elite Scout Rangers have been identified as the casualties in the latest deaths caused by friendly fire  in Marawi City.

According to a report by Maki Pulido on "24 Oras" on Friday, the victims identified as Sgt. Antonio Pareja and Cpl. Renato Calib-og.

On July 12, an air raid missed its target, causing a wall to fall over Pareja and Calib-og, along with 11 others who were injured.

Joint Task Force Marawi earlier said an ordnance missed its target by 250 meters during the airstrike.

It was the second incident of friendly fire resulting in casualties as government forces continue to battle pro-ISIS Maute Group members in Marawi City. Last month, 10 soldiers were killed in a military airstrike.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the two incidents "reflect the harsh nature of urban warfare where soldiers operate in tight spaces and in close proximity to the enemy."

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines is now reviewing and recalibrating its existing doctrines in order for the troops to adapt and respond to this evolving type of war," he added.

Airstrikes resumed in Marawi City on Friday. —Anna Felicia Bajo/JST, GMA News