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| Philippines military 'kills Islamist Isnilon Hapilon' | Philippines military 'kills Islamist Isnilon Hapilon' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Troops in the southern Philippines say they have killed Isnilon Hapilon, the Abu Sayyaf militant seen as Islamic State group's leader in southeast Asia. | Troops in the southern Philippines say they have killed Isnilon Hapilon, the Abu Sayyaf militant seen as Islamic State group's leader in southeast Asia. |
| Hapilon, who is on the US list of "most wanted terrorists", was killed in Marawi along with another wanted militant, Omar Maute, the army said. | Hapilon, who is on the US list of "most wanted terrorists", was killed in Marawi along with another wanted militant, Omar Maute, the army said. |
| The city has been partly held by insurgents since a rebel attack in May. | The city has been partly held by insurgents since a rebel attack in May. |
| The reported deaths came amid an army push to end the siege after months of fighting between troops and militants. | The reported deaths came amid an army push to end the siege after months of fighting between troops and militants. |
| The region is home to a number of Muslim rebel groups, many of which have in recent years sought alliance with so-called Islamic State (IS). | The region is home to a number of Muslim rebel groups, many of which have in recent years sought alliance with so-called Islamic State (IS). |
| "It will be just a matter of days before it will finally be declared that Marawi has been liberated from the clutches of terrorists," army chief of staff General Eduardo Ano told a news conference. "There will be no let up." | "It will be just a matter of days before it will finally be declared that Marawi has been liberated from the clutches of terrorists," army chief of staff General Eduardo Ano told a news conference. "There will be no let up." |
| He held up photos of two bloodied faces he said were those of Hapilon and Maute, one of two brothers who head the region's Maute insurgency group. | He held up photos of two bloodied faces he said were those of Hapilon and Maute, one of two brothers who head the region's Maute insurgency group. |
| Hapilon was shot in the head and Maute died of a chest wound during a night-time operation, officials said. A freed hostage tipped off the authorities about their whereabouts. | Hapilon was shot in the head and Maute died of a chest wound during a night-time operation, officials said. A freed hostage tipped off the authorities about their whereabouts. |
| Who was Isnilon Hapilon? | |
| Observers say the occupation of Marawi stoked fears that militant Islamist ideology is more prevalent on the island of Mindanao than had previously been imagined. | Observers say the occupation of Marawi stoked fears that militant Islamist ideology is more prevalent on the island of Mindanao than had previously been imagined. |
| The region is the only Muslim-majority part of the otherwise largely Catholic Philippines. | The region is the only Muslim-majority part of the otherwise largely Catholic Philippines. |
| Gen Ano said troops were still fighting dozens of Islamist fighters in the area and had rescued about 20 hostages | Gen Ano said troops were still fighting dozens of Islamist fighters in the area and had rescued about 20 hostages |
| He said the bodies of the two militant leaders had been identified by experts and former rebels. | He said the bodies of the two militant leaders had been identified by experts and former rebels. |
| Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that following Hapilon's reported death, "the Marawi incident is almost over and we may announce the termination of hostilities in a couple of days". | Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that following Hapilon's reported death, "the Marawi incident is almost over and we may announce the termination of hostilities in a couple of days". |
| He added that the bodies of the two were undergoing DNA tests. | He added that the bodies of the two were undergoing DNA tests. |