Marawi was a battle mainly by the countries Special Forces... specifically the Light Reaction Regiment.
A book just came out and it can be bought in Amazon:
Tiradores: Missions and the Men of the Philippine's Light Reaction Regiment [Villanueva, Francis U.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Tiradores: Missions and the Men of the Philippine's Light Reaction Regiment
www.amazon.com
I havent read the book yet, as I dont know how to go about the shipping during the lock down. However, this story below is from the authors Facebook:
TIRADORES - 18 HOSTAGES AND GHOST HRT
Nothing comes close to the flexibility of the country’s only Tier-One SMU. And within this unit, nothing approaches the adaptability of its current Category-One S/Os (Sniper-Observer). Extensively trained in CQB, these individuals receive further extensive specialized training that makes them virtually without peers in long-range day/night target interdictions and reconnaissance. One story that displays this trait is a tale I had to exclude from my book due to limited available book space, a decision I regret to this day. It is the untold account of how Tiradores S/Os seamlessly transformed from being target interdiction specialists, to being recon experts and finally morphed into an unseen HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) that led to the successful rescue of 18 hostages during the siege of Marawi City in October 2017. I owe them this story.
Barangay Fort Bangon was Golf-Three’s (a focal character in the Marawi chapters of my book) chosen area to set up hide sites in the latter part of September 2017 in order to provide mutually supporting and wide sniper coverage for his malignos. This gave them a commanding view of LRCs right flank. From here, STG was on constant day/night ambush duty using three separate locations. Improvised tents made out of laminated sacks were all that covered its S/Os perched atop roof decks from drizzles during those long and cold nights towards the last quarter of the year. Primary shooters and observers stayed inside the confines of their walled hides during daytime with 30 percent of its members on sniping and spotting duties, while the rest were on three to four hours sleep rotation cycle. This was their daily routine without any letup since the start of the conflict. It was a display of their staying power that earned the group unexpected opportunities, one of which arrived in the evening of October 3.
Rescue of civilian hostages in Marawi’s main battle area was the primordial mission of Tiradores during the conflict, surpassing even the directive to eliminate of all HVTs and DIWM insurgents. At around 11:00 PM of October 3, Golf-Three received a request for assistance regarding a possible opportunity to rescue hostages. The urgent call emanated from one of the military intelligence groups deployed in Marawi. The caller was emphatic when he reached out to STG’s Chief. “Sir, may contact kami sa isang grupo ng civilians na tinatago sa Building M25. Gusto na nilang tumakas pero wala kaming paraan matulungan sila makalabas dahil wala kaming malinaw na visual sa location nila.” (Sir, we have contact with a group of civilians trapped at Building M25. They want to escape but we have no way to help them because we have no clear visual of their location.).
Unbeknownst to the public, members of military intelligence groups deployed in Marawi were out-of-the box thinkers, possessed of adept minds. Since the hostages had no way to communicate with them, members of one of these intelligence groups devised a way to bring a mobile phone to the trapped civilians by crashing a drone at their location with a phone duct taped to its body, together with a written instruction on how they should contact each other. With this development, a plan was hatched wherein members of MARSOG would link up with hostages and bring them safely to JTG-Marines’ area. There was a catch. Both the intelligence group and the Marines were clueless how to safely recover the hostages given the terrain and non-permissive situation during that dark cloudy evening of October, notwithstanding the participation of NODs-equipped members of PMC’s finest. They had no inkling how to bring the trapped civilians out of M25 and guide the Marines to their location. This prompted the intelligence group to contact Marawi’s undisputed Lord of low-light/zero-light conditions, the only unit in the entire JTF-Marawi that had Mark I human eyeball-view of the building.
“Kita ninyo ba yung M25, Sir?” (Do you have visual of M25, Sir?). Using his now strained eyes due to constant use of their night equipment, Golf-Three went on to check the structure with their multi-function spotting/observation device. To ensure that he was looking at the right building, he instructed his two companions also on-duty, Pañero-Three and Pañero Five, to laze M25 using their mounted high-powered IR laser pointer/illuminator, as confirmation. Once certain of the target’s location, he immediately hailed the caller. “I have visual of Building M25, all floors, south and west walls. Ano maipaglilingkod namin sa inyo?” (What can we do for you?). The caller was ecstatic. “Roger Sir! Patulong lang kami. Need namin mata ninyo sa M25 para ma guide mga Marines sa pag extract ng mga hostages.” (Roger Sir! We need your help. We need your eyes on M25 to guide the Marines during the extraction of hostages.). “Wilco. Eyes on na kami sa target.” (Wilco. We are eyes on the target.), Golf-Three replied.
With Golf-Three closely glued to the viewing port of the multi-function equipment and after ensuring that no creature stirred in the vicinity surrounding the target building, he ordered Pañero-Three to activate the visible laser at around 1:48 AM of October 4 and start lazing Building M25. Golf-Three was now giving final instructions to members of the intelligence group over the phone. “Sabihan ninyo yung mga hostages na sundan yung laser namin.” (Tell the hostages to follow our laser.). The member of the intel group replied: “Yes Sir. 13 ang lalabas na hostages. Kung may susunod diyan sa 13, tirahin niyo na. Mga guwardiya mga yun.” (Yes Sir. 13 hostages will come out. If somebody will follow, shoot them. Those will be the guards.). A quick call to the hostages and they knew what to do. Once they saw the red laser, 13 hostages came out of the building and immediately followed the laser’s movement towards Baywalk Street. As the exodus was ongoing, Golf-Three radioed the leader of the MARSOG retrieval team and instructed them to follow his IR laser through their NODs. Guided by STG’s invisible and visible lasers, 13 hostages finally linked up with the retrieval team.
About 15 minutes after the link up, Pañero-Three saw five individuals coming out of M25. “Sir, andyan na mga guwardiya!” (Sir, the guards just came out!). Pañero-Five, armed with an SR-25, replied “Clear shot na ako, Sir.” (I have clear shot, Sir.). Golf-Three quickly reported the development to a member of the intelligence group. The reaction was a panic-ridden voice of “Tirahin niyo na, Sir!” (Shoot them now, Sir!). STG’s CO was not convinced. His training to shoot only with positive identification during hostage rescue situation kicked in. He was not about to shoot targets without confirming their identities. “Standby, target ID muna.” (Standby, target ID first.), Golf-Three replied. He then quickly peered through the observation equipment and was shocked at what he saw: “!@#$%@%%!!!! (Golf-Three cussing) Mga matanda, bata at mga babae. May inaakay pa na hindi makalakad! Mga hostages ito! Bolt up!” (Those are elderly, children, women and one who can barely walk! These are hostages! Bolt up!). More cussing followed as three of LRR’s finest long gun shooters vented their emotions at this close call based on a faulty intelligence report.
Golf-Three immediately relayed the information to the MARSOG element and the intelligence group: “Bok, another batch of hostages. 5 pax. 2 old men, 2 women and 1 child. No shoot. Prepare to recover. Find my laser.” Members of the intelligence group were not convinced. Quickly on the line was a member who told Golf-Three, “Sir, kalaban talaga yan!” (Sir, those are really enemies!). LRR’s highest ranking officer in the main battle area was still reeling from the close call and made his disposition known: “Sinabi ng hindi nga e! Kita ko ngayon. Klaro ang target ID ko, walang baril at hindi posture ng kalaban ito. Kita ng mga mata namin dito, Bok. Mga matanda, babae at bata. Inaakay pa nga nila ang isa sa hindi na nakakalakad.” (I already told you that they are not enemies! I can see them now. My target ID is clear, no guns and their postures are different. Our eyes can see them, Bok. These are elderly, women and children. They are even helping one who cannot walk anymore.). Realizing the futility of his situation, the intelligence operative could only muster “Yes Sir. Copy.”
With this positive identification, Golf-Three and his team safely guided a total of 18 hostages to the waiting arms of MARSOG operators. Thanks to technology and the Ghost HRT of Marawi, 18 hostages were successfully rescued and reunited with their families. It was typical business as usual for Marawi’s apex land predator. In the meantime, several cups of black coffee kept Golf-Three awake just in time for the interdiction of their next prey – one of the most wanted HVTs in the main battle area (about 2 hours after this rescue). You want to know what happened? Read my book.
- from Francis Villanueva's FB page.
This was one of the largest and longest urban warfare/CT and HRT engagements out there. Lessons learned from this is still being applied and had impact on the future forces and training of the Philippine Armed Forces.
20 June 2017..Philippines...Policemen stand guard along the main road of Marawi City, as government forces continue their assault against insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
