1. Marawi:
Marawi City, officially known as the Islamic City of Marawi is the capital and the only city in the province of Lanao del Sur on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 201,785 making it the most populous in the province of Lanao del Sur.
Following a shock attack by ISIS-aligned militants which captured the southern Philippines city of Marawi last month, hundreds of thousands of its weary citizens have fled the horror of life under the control of jihadists — a horror compounded by a relentless campaign of bombing by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Reports from the front lines explain why to avoid this hilly, lakeside city. Troops that opened fire in this spot on Mindanao island May 23 have killed at least 275 militants. More than 60 troops have also died and most of the city’s 200,000 inhabitants have fled.
Much of the city’s commercial district is rubble now, leaving few places to live for locals or otherwise.