Around 50 to 100 members of the terrorist Maute Brothers Group entered a village in Butig, Lanao del Sur and a group engaged the military in a firefight, military spokesmen said Saturday.

Soldiers encountered around 15 members of the Maute group, four of whom were armed with rocket propelled grenades as they continued clearing the area after armed group occupied the former municipal building in Butig two days ago.

Lt Col. Benedicto Manquiquis, public information officer of the 1 st Infantry Division, said soldiers faced 15 Maute Brothers Group in Barangay Bayabao Poblacion at 9:49 am.

Two soldiers were hurt even as Manquiquis said two light attack aircraft conducted an air strike to support the engaged troops.

Brigadier General Restituto Padilla, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines , said the military begun driving out the Maute group after they occupied the abandoned building.

Padilla said the building is in “an area where most residents have abandoned and only the relatives of the Maute family ( and supporters) have remained,” Padilla said.

Major Filemon Tan of the Western Mindanao Command said the building is still being occupied by the Maute Group.

Last June, the military cleared Camp Darul Iman in Butig of the Maute group. Robina Asido/DMS