The military has cleared an area occupied by a local terrorist unit, the Maute Brothers Group, in Butig, Lanao del Sur after six days of fighting with the military, the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) spokesman said on Thursday.

“The main areas, the built-up areas of Butig municipality is now 100 percent clear to give way for its turnover to the local government. They can now allow some of the residents who still there to go back to their homes,” Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla in Camp Aguinaldo Thursday.

News footage showed soldiers raising the Philippine flag at the old municipal building of Butig, replacing the ISIS banner hoisted by the Maute group.

Padilla said the military are pursuing the remaining Maute group members.

“This operation however will continue, the military offensive operation will continue in nearby areas where we also need to conduct clearing to prevent the return of the remaining local terrorist members,” Padilla said.

“The focus of operation right now is in the outskirts,” he added.

To prevent the return of the Maute group, Padilla said the military are considering the request of the local government unit and people of Butig to assign government forces in the area.

“There are measures that can be emplaced in order to secure their (people) safety and security, it includes the positioning of forces to secure and guard the outskirts, it can be police or member of the armed forces,” he said.

Padilla said the military reported 61 Maute group members killed and 12 wounded because of the series of encounter that have started last Saturday.

Thirty-five soldiers and Presidential Security Group members were wounded since the operation against the Maute group was started last week. Robina Asido/DMS