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Key Malaysian militant may have been killed in Marawi - military

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ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KkVB5q8zWfk?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><p>MANILA - The Philippine military is checking reports that Malaysian terrorist Dr. Mahmud Ahmad was among 20 extremists killed after security forces attacked terrorist hideouts in Marawi City overnight. </p><p>The state assault killed 13 terrorists on late Wednesday and 7 more early Thursday, said Major General Restituto Padilla, spokesperson of the Armed Forces. </p><p>A mother and her teenage daughter, who were rescued during the operation, claimed that a foreigner resembling Dr. Mahmud was among the fatalities, said Padilla. </p><p>Intelligence operatives earlier said Mahmud was an alleged financier and recruiter that helped put together the coalition of pro-Islamic State fighters who stormed Marawi in May. </p><p>&quot;Dahil hindi pa po natin nakukuha [ang bangkay], nakakapasok sa kinaroroonan ng mga kalaban, hindi pa po natin makumpirma ito 100 percent,&quot; Padilla told DZMM. &quot;Pero tumataas po ang porsyento at nagiging kampante po kami, increasingly confident na ito na nga po iyun.&quot; </p><p>(We cannot fully confirm this because we have yet to retrieve the body from the terrorist hideout. But we are increasingly confident that the fatality was Mahmud.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/16/17/military-chasing-malaysian-terrorist-hiding-in-marawi">READ: Military chasing Malaysian terrorist hiding in Marawi</a></li></ul><p>A forensic examination is needed to confirm the &quot;big possibility&quot; that Mahmud was killed, said Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task Group Ranao. </p><p>&quot;There is a big possibility na kasama si Dr. Mahmud but we will only be definite once we have a match of probably DNA samples or maybe of the dental records and this has to be attested also by SOCO,&quot; Brawner said at a press conference. </p><p>Extremists are still putting up an &quot;organized resistance&quot; inside the battle zone, where some of the fatalities were killed from afar by government snipers, added Brawner. </p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/abscbnNEWS/videos/10155637273955168/?notif_id=1508384111112378" data-width="auto"> </div><p>The 39-year-old Mahmud, who holds a doctorate in religious studies and was a university lecturer in Kuala Lumpur, was the second-in-command of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, according to a July report by Indonesia-based Institute of Policy Analysis and Conflict (IPAC).<br/> <br/>Mahmud took over the terrorist assault in Marawi after state troops on Monday <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/16/17/terrorists-isnilon-hapilon-omar-maute-killed-in-marawi-battle">neutralized</a> Hapilon, the anointed &quot;emir&quot; of ISIS in Southeast Asia, and Omarkhayam Maute, one of 2 Middle East-educated brothers at the helm of the militant alliance, Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año earlier said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/16/17/malaysian-teacher-seen-as-new-emir-of-pro-is-militants">READ: Malaysian teacher seen as new &#x27;emir&#x27; of pro-IS militants</a></li></ul><p>President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday announced the liberation of Marawi City, after more than 4 months of battling Islamic State-inspired terrorists. Marawi City Mayor Majul Usman Gandamra, however, said there are around 11 to 20 remaining terrorists in the city with more than 10 hostages.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/17/17/marawi-mayor-estimates-total-liberation-in-3-days">READ: Marawi mayor estimates &#x27;total liberation&#x27; in 3 days </a></li></ul><p>As of 6 a.m. Thursday, the battle for Marawi has left dead 882 rebels, 164 troops and 47 civilians. Some 1,772 hostages meanwhile have been rescued, said Brawner. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/multimedia/slideshow/10/18/17/in-photos-marawis-liberation">IN PHOTOS: Marawi&#x27;s &#x27;liberation&#x27;</a></li></ul><div><strong>--With Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News ; and Reuters</strong></div>

<p>The Philippine military is checking reports that Malaysian terrorist Dr. Mahmud Ahmad was among 20 extremists killed after security forces attacked terrorist hideouts in Marawi City overnight. </p>

The Philippine military is checking reports that Malaysian terrorist Dr. Mahmud Ahmad was among 20 extremists killed after security forces attacked terrorist hideouts in Marawi City overnight.