[AFP] On Friday, the Philippine military said it had killed at least eight insurgents in an operation to stop efforts to set up a militant base in the country's south following the five-month siege of Marawi last year. Military spokesman Gerry Bisana said armored vehicles and artillery were used against about 50 gunmen from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters on Thursday.Bisana said troops recovered the bodies of eight gunmen, although they believe rebels carried off 15 other dead comrades. He said a soldier was also injured in the fighting near the town of Datu Saudi Ampatuan.
The military said last month that gunmen linked to the Islamic State have renewed an armed campaign to set up a caliphate in the region. The first attempt was quashed last year after a military campaign that flattened Marawi and killed more than 1,100 people.
Survivors of that siege have recruited a fresh force of about 200 gunmen, according to the military, with President Duterte warning they could attack other cities in Mindanao.