Alwaght- ISIS-linked terrorists of Maute group have killed at least 13 Philippine marines on Friday as the battle against the terrorist groups continued in the besieged southern city of Marawi.
Philippine army announced on Saturday that at least 40 others were also wounded in a 16-hour fight.
"There was an intense, house-to-house fire fight between the marines and the local terrorist group", Jo-Ar Herrera, army spokesman, told a televised press conference.
He said the marines, who were taking part in an operation to rescue about 100 people who are being held hostage by Maute, were targeted by improvised explosive devices set off by the group's fighters.
The report comes while siege of Marawi City is now in its third week.
Officials said an estimated 500 to 1,000 civilians are trapped in the built-up area occupied by the fighters, which also came under heavy aerial bombardment on Friday.
At least 200 people, including soldiers, armed gunmen and civilians have been killed and more than 200,000 people have been displaced.
As the fighting intensifies, the United States said on Saturday that its special forces were providing technical support to the Philippine military in Marawi City but they have no boots on the ground.
"US special operations forces are assisting" the armed forces of the Philippines in Marawi "at the request of the government of the Philippines", an unnamed US official told the Reuters news agency.
