Philippine flag raised on Independence Day in war-torn city

Marawi: Filipino forces and officials have marked the country's Independence Day by raising the Philippine flag in a southern city where troops are trying to end a three-week siege by Islamic State group-aligned militants that has left 270 combatants and civilians dead.

Many were teary-eyed during the flag-raising ceremony today at the heavily guarded city hall in southern Marawi, the heartland of Islamic faith in the country's south, where hundreds of gunmen went on a deadly rampage on May 23.

While the flag-raising was mainly for Independence Day, it also symbolized the reclaiming of city hall and other areas of Marawi by government forces.

Outside governments have expressed alarm over the siege by the militants, who are still holed up in buildings with civilian hostages in Marawi's commercial district.