marawi city philippines grimace brigadier general melquiades ordiales philippines 1st marine brigade recount painful gain make islamist militants marawi city take us one week point point cross street say cast eye side two-lane road heart southern philippines city line three-storey build shatter air strike remain wall riddle bullet hole really tough grind urban warfare destroy much grandly name sultan omar dianalan boulevard show much threat islamic state philippines potentially countries southeast asian region fight start philippine authorities unfazed islamic state-backed militants take large part picturesque lakeside marawi may country defense minister delfin lorenzana predict entire conflict would one week four months intense aerial bombardment house-by-house battle philippine commanders believe final stag operation oust rebel city past two weeks military officials say conquer three militant bastions include mosque restrict 60 remain guerrillas 10 devastate city block business district patrol increase lake prevent supply armaments recruit holed-up militants high-powered weapons military officer skirmish years islamic insurgents southern philippines say battle marawi intense difficult early encounter islamic state militants good arm high-powered weapons night vision goggle late sniper scopes surveillance drone say captain arnel carandang philippines army first scout ranger battalion say serve almost decade remote jungles mountains mindanao southern philippines region long wrack insurgencies carandang say military unfamiliar urban terrain militants exploit battlefield advantage hold philippines force despite 10-to-1 numerical advantage government troop borrow heavily islamic state tactics iraqi city mosul surround hostages use snipers network tunnel marawi underground drainage system rat hole crevices wall high floor allow access adjacent build enable rebel evade bomb remain undetected soldier battlefront say believe foreign terrorists direct operations define really good say carandang see cadavers foreigners white black tall people guess asians outside philippines hear transmissions english speak terrorists hostages many christians deploy build improvise explosive devices scavenge food weapons heat battle fight islamist rebel accord escape first move mosque 200 us escape hostage ask identify safety reason tell reuters last week gradually become few people would go errands come back either escape die time leave 100 us account could verify military officials confirm man escape marawi early august hostage say militants excite successes marawi speak often advantage urban warfare talk next possible target include cities mindanao philippines capital manila say could hide well cities get civilians become hostages difficult mountains soldier say many fighters young recruit fanatical accomplish fighters soldier say way move tactics see train say colonel jose maria cuerpo deputy commander 103rd brigade fight marawi description mindanao youngsters recruit militants click nl3n1kb1z5 much bloodshed could avoid local political leaders tell reuters naguib sinarimbo muslim leader negotiate military islamic separatists years say elders urge arm force allow militias rival islamist group take lead oust islamic state militants group familiar marawi terrain family clan link could influence many fighters lay weapons tell arm force proposal rebuff sinarimbo say air power military assure path quick win zia alonto adiong provincial politician say military also doubt loyalty political personalities offer provide militias push fighters result city ruin hundreds thousands residents displace embolden islamists sinarimbo say proceed aerial bomb take city sinarimbo say military lose authority addition devastation city play militants hand create resentment radicalising many youngsters say marawi residents evacuation center stay relatives elsewhere become increasingly frustrate say adiong spokesman local government crisis management authority residents disappoint angry request moratorium bank loan repayments meet tell reuters philippines central bank governor nestor espenilla tell reuters legislation would need debt moratorium study mindanao long mar decades muslim hostility rule manila years fight insurgent group long negotiations government sign agreement 2014 give muslim majority areas mindanao autonomy deal long delay part philippines fertile grind plant violent extremism adiong say narrative social injustice strong young people feed peace process nothing concrete sustainable develop militants use basis entice people get support local people marawi arm force hopeful least militants surrender hand 45 50 civilian captives carandang scout rangers captain however say indications rebel prepare bloody final stand monitor enemy transmissions like final days fanatical say transmissions indicate prepare suicide bomb unused suicide vest discover month marawi grand mosque former stronghold militants government source tell reuters suicide attack rare philippines despite decades islamist insurgency difference syria iraq say ordiales marine general almost war tactics fight tactics one thing human bomb suicide bomb happen yet one week cross street pin filipino soldier marawi