More than 500 died in Marawi City Siege add on Sunday night..

The number of deaths in the siege of Marawi City, which began on May 23, breached 500 on Sunday evening, the government said.

 Philippines — As the clashes in Marawi City entered their 49th day, the death toll from the fighting breached more than 500 on Sunday night, the military said, as it fended off allegations of underreporting the number of civilians trapped in the battle.

Based on the latest government data, the number of individuals killed had climbed to 507 after the death of more than a dozen Islamist fighters and some government personnel.

In a media conference in Malacañang, Marie Banaag, a government spokesperson, said that the number of militants killed had risen to 379, higher than the previous figure by 26.

She added that the number of security forces who perished in the fighting was at 89 while civilian deaths are unchanged at 39.

“And we have the number of civilians rescued by government troops, LGUs and CSOs is at 1,723, an additional of one civilian,” she said, adding that the government has recovered 451 firearms from militants.

The rising death toll was recorded against a backdrop of continuing fighting in Marawi City, which has continued to decimate its central business district and destroy the homes and livelihood of most of its 200,000 residents.

The siege of the Islamic city flared after a failed government attempt to arrest Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf subleader and the appointed emir of the so-called Islamic State in the region.

Government forces were repulsed by strong resistance from fighters of the Maute Group and the Abu Sayyaf, and the clashes soon spread in breadth and scope.

This prompted President Rodrigo Duterte, who was on an official visit to Moscow then, to place the entire Mindanao island under military rule, the second such declaration under the present constitution.

Since then, fighting has only ceased for "humanitarian pauses" to rescue civilians and recover remains. Plumes of smoke rise over many parts of the city as the military pounds fortified rebel positions.

Military and police personnel also scour Marawi street by street to flush out militants who might be hiding in abandoned houses and structures.

However, the militants have proven difficult to overcome as they are entrenched in strategic positions with an ample supply of food and ammunition.

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, downplayed accusations that the Armed Forces was intentionally underreporting civilian deaths, which stood at 39 on Sunday night.

The military in the past said that the number of civilian deaths would rise as it had not yet accessed many parts of Marawi where locals may have died.

Padilla said authorities are being careful in reporting the number of civilians killed in the fighting. He said that they do not want militants killed to be counted among civilian casualties.

“So many accusations can be hurled and that’s why there’s a call for us to be very judicious about what we believe in, to be very discerning. Kaya madaming puwedeng mag-akusa. Ngayon, isa rin sa sinasabi natin hindi kami nagdadagdag ng casualties hangga’t hindi namin sigurado” he said.

He added: “Kaya nga ‘yung 39, maingat kami na nagdadagdag hangga’t hindi namin alam kung sino talaga ito at kasi maaaring maging sinumang nakuha mong cadaver eh mga dating terorista na nakipag-laban. So hangga’t hindi kami nagkakaroon ng mainam ng pruweba, tsaka lang kami nagdadagdag.”