Philippine troops open assault on militants

MANILA — Philippine troops, backed by bomber aircraft, assaulted local sympathizers of the Islamic State group, including dozens of militants who took cover Saturday in an unoccupied Islamic school in the south, military officials said.

Troops opened an assault on the Maute group militants in Butig on Thursday because of intelligence reports that they were continuing to make explosives after being blamed for a Sept. 2 bomb attack that killed 15 people in southern Davao city, the president’s hometown, military spokesman Brig.

Air force choppers fired rockets and troops clashed with some of the militants in fighting that wounded two soldiers and wounded or killed an undetermined number of militants, military officials said.