Marawi is the capital city of the province of Lanao del Sur in the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines. It is considered the center of commerce in the region, being the gateway to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. On May 23, 2017, the Abu Sayyaf and Maute Group, both ISIL-inspired extremists factions in the Philippines, has held the city hostage which resulted to a 5-month long battle with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
