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Duterte tells troops fighting militants not to worry about civilian deaths
Source: Associated Press
Duterte tells troops fighting militants not to worry about civilian deaths
Associated Press in Manila
Wednesday 28 June 2017 17.29 BST
The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has assured troops he would protect them from any legal action if they accidentally killed civilians while battling militants who have besieged a southern city.
Duterte ordered the army to destroy the militants aligned with Islamic State who attacked Marawi on 23 May, sparking fighting that has left more than 400 combatants and civilians dead.
On Wednesday, retrieval teams recovered 17 more bodies believed to be those of villagers killed by the militants in an area of Marawi that has returned to government control.
Duterte said in a televised speech that troops don’t intend to kill civilians, but they should “not hesitate to engage just because there are civilians. It is the duty of the civilians to flee or seek cover.”
He assured the troops that he would fight to keep them out of prison for accidental deaths.
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Associated Press in Manila
Wednesday 28 June 2017 17.29 BST
The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has assured troops he would protect them from any legal action if they accidentally killed civilians while battling militants who have besieged a southern city.
Duterte ordered the army to destroy the militants aligned with Islamic State who attacked Marawi on 23 May, sparking fighting that has left more than 400 combatants and civilians dead.
On Wednesday, retrieval teams recovered 17 more bodies believed to be those of villagers killed by the militants in an area of Marawi that has returned to government control.
Duterte said in a televised speech that troops don’t intend to kill civilians, but they should “not hesitate to engage just because there are civilians. It is the duty of the civilians to flee or seek cover.”
He assured the troops that he would fight to keep them out of prison for accidental deaths.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/28/philippines-duterte-tells-troops-fighting-isis-militants-not-to-worry-about-civilian-deaths
