Battle of Marawi - Day by Day, Map by Map (Real War Simulation)

On May 23, 2017, the peaceful city of Marawi was shattered when an attempt to capture ISIS leader Isnilon Hapilon turned into a trap. The Maute Group militants, already established across the city, launched coordinated attacks, seizing key locations, burning structures, and raising ISIS flags. Thousands of civilians fled, and President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao, confirming the crisis as an ISIS uprising.

On May 24, Operation Liberate Marawi commenced with over 2,000 troops, supported by air strikes. The Maute Group had fortified Marawi with IEDs, sniper nests, and used civilians as human shields, making progress slow and deadly. Early air strikes faced challenges in accuracy due to militants hiding in civilian areas, and ground combat escalated as soldiers pushed to retake strategic points. Private First Class Don Ryan Bayad heroically sacrificed himself, becoming a symbol of bravery.

The Maute Group transformed Marawi into a deadly maze with booby traps and human shields. The AFP adapted by breaching walls instead of doors and employing specialized units with thermal drones and CS gas. After a three-day firefight, Dancelan College, a major Maute media center, was retaken, confirming the presence of foreign fighters and the global nature of the conflict. Casualties mounted, but the AFP gradually reclaimed key positions, raising the Philippine flag over Mandandy Bridge on June 9, a symbolic victory.

By June 16, government forces had retaken 60% of the city, confining the Maute Group to three districts. The remaining 40%, known as 'the grid' or 'sector zero,' became an intensely dangerous zone filled with traps and tunnels. Elite units, supported by advanced technology, faced psychological warfare as every move could trigger an explosion. Tragic incidents, like the death of a Marine corporal by a booby-trapped refrigerator, highlighted the extreme peril.

After weeks of silence, an ISIS propaganda video confirmed Isnilon Hapilon was still alive, leading the AFP to precise intelligence on his location. The final phase, a surgical siege, used snipers, bunker-busting grenades, and loudspeakers to urge surrender. On October 16, Task Force Trident launched the final operation, resulting in the deaths of Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Ma. On October 23, 2017, President Duterte declared Marawi liberated, exactly five months after the siege began.

The liberation of Marawi came at a devastating cost: 168 government troops killed, over 1,400 wounded, and at least 87 civilians dead. The siege displaced 1.1 million residents and killed 978 enemy fighters. Over 5,700 structures were destroyed, and rehabilitation costs soared to 80 billion pesos. Marawi, once a vibrant city, was left in ruins, a stark reminder of the brutality of urban warfare and the resilience required for recovery and rebuilding.