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Philippines declares liberation of Marawi

by VTV418 October 2017 Last updated at 19:00 PM

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VTV.vn - The Philippines city of Marawi has been liberated from ISIS-affiliated militants following a five-month standoff, President Rodrigo Duterte announced Tuesday.

The announcement comes one day after the country's Defense Secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, said two militant leaders behind the standoff -- Ipsilon Hapilon and Omar Maute -- were killed in a firefight. Parts of the Muslim-majority city, on the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, had been under control of the Islamist Maute group since a shock invasion by militants at the end of May. According to President Duterte, the libration marks the beginning of rehabilitation of Marawi.