President Duterte urges Philippine troops to defeat Marawi militants

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has called on troops to intensify their battle against ISIL-linked militants and secure victory over them in the south of the country.

Duterte said the militants who seized the city of Marawi in May have gained funding from drug sales. He promised to rebuild Marawi when the area is liberated.

The Philippine president earlier set a target of taking back control of the city within 15 days. More than 500 people have been killed, including nearly 400 militants, 90 soldiers and 40 civilians since the fighting began. On Wednesday, a government air strike mistakenly killed two soldiers, the second such deadly accident during the campaign.

(CGTN)