MANILA: The Philippine military says a major offensive has killed 24 suspected local sympathisers of the Islamic State group and captured their remote southern stronghold, where troops raised the national flag. Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla says six military personnel were killed and a dozen wounded in the operation. About 2,000 troops took part in the weeklong campaign in Butig town in Lanao del Sur province. Padilla said Tuesday that army generals turned over control of the captured militant stronghold to the Butig town mayor after the flag-raising, which was held near where leaders of the extremist group identified as Omar and Abdullah Maute used to live. Padilla said the military offensive, which was supported by the provincial government, helped stop 'the spread of extremism.'