Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to "crush" Islamic extremists who have occupied parts of a southern city for more than two weeks, despite they are holding dozens of civilian hostages and hundreds of residents remain trapped.
"When I say crush them, you have to destroy everything including lives. Rebellion is no joking matter," the firebrand president told reporters.
"I cannot stop my soldiers now???let's finish this war that you (Islamic State) have started."
Since hundreds of militants seized Marawi, a city of 200,000 people on May 23, the military has used precision assaults, backed by aerial and artillery bombardment, to attack the militants.
Mr Duterte's latest order has intensified fears for the lives of up to 500 trapped residents and the hostages, including Catholic priest "Chito" Suganob, who appeared last week in a propaganda video appealing for government troops to withdraw from the city.
PHOTOS: Destruction in the #Marawi, Philippines following 2 weeks of fighting against ISIS-linked groups- @raffytimapic.twitter.com/XhcSTnZPMZ??? Conflict News (@Conflicts) June 6, 2017
Photos from rescue teams who entered the centre of the city during a brief truce show massive destruction with dozens of buildings turned into piles of twisted and burnt debris.
Human bodies lie rotting in streets.
Most of the residents have fled, creating a humanitarian crisis while those who remain have dwindling supplies of food and water.
The official death toll is 180 but many more are believed to have been killed.
Video footage has emerged of a secret meeting of the militants planning the siege days before, including Isnilon Hapilon, the purported leader of Islamic State in south-east Asia.
They spoke of taking hostages from a school, sealing off roads and capturing a highway so that "people will be scared.
Philippine military chief Eduardo Ano said the footage found on a mobile during a raid on a militant safe house, which was obtained by Associated Press, confirms the militants had the "intention of not only rebellion but actually dismembering a portion of Philippine territory by occupying the whole of Marawi city and establishing their own Islamic State or government."
General Ano said the militants, who stockpiled the city with weapons, ammunition and supplies, had intended to take over the city on May 26, the start of the Ramadan holy month, but a botched military raid to capture Hapilon triggered instant clashes.
The US has a US$5 million bounty for Hapilon's capture or killing.
More than 100 militants, including dozens of foreign fighters, are believed to be still holed in the centre of the city, 830 kilometres south of Manila, using tunnels to dodge bombs and hide weapons and manning rooftop sniper positions.
Troops discovered bundles of banknotes and cheques worth more than US$1.6 million in a house that was being used by the militants as a machine-gun post, prompting speculation the money may have been sent from foreign groups supporting Islamic State.
"This shows that these local terrorists are well connected," said military spokesman Jo-ar Herrera.
"They have supporters, they have sympathisers and they have links to international terror organisations," he said.
The military has requested the assistance of financial analysts to trace the source of the cash.
The militants also forced their way into at least one bank in the city, a regional capital.
South-east Asian nations, worried that Islamic State is gaining a foothold in the southern Philippines from where it could launch attacks across the region, have offered support to the Philippines, including use of drones and planes, joint sea patrols and the stepped-up sharing of intelligence.
