Islamic extremists who stormed a primary school in the southern Philippines with several civilians have retreated after clashes with Philippine troops.
The incident ended without casualties, the Philippine military said.
No students were taken hostage at the school, General Restituto Padilla said, denying earlier reports that the Islamists were holding several children hostage, Reuters reported.
Padilja said that the army is investigating whether there are any more Islamists hiding among the civilians.
Police said earlier that around three hundred armed individuals, including members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), stormed into an elementary school in Pigchawayan in the province of North Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao.
Pigchavayan is located 190 km south of Marawi, where BIFF extremists along with fighters from other Islamic State-linked groups have been resisting the Philippine military since May 23.
Philippine air and ground forces launched a new offensive against extremists in Marawi yesterday with the aim of clearing the area by Eid al-Fitr, which is celebrated next weekend.
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