U.S. Special Forces have joined the Philippine army in attempting to retake Marawi City from fighters loyal to the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).
Forty troops were also wounded in the 14-hour firefight on Friday in Marawi City, 800 kilometres south of Manila, in the biggest single-day loss for government forces in the 19-day siege, said marine Colonel Edgard Arevalo, a military spokesman.
The gunmen were using the hostages as human shields, hiding in mosques and utilizing an underground tunnel network in the city, making it hard for troops to manoeuvre, he added.
Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said that, apart from the 13 soldiers who perished, 40 others were wounded in "close quarter combat" in the village of Madaya in Marawi.
He said: "It instead primed up our determination to continue our prudent advances to neutralise the enemy, save the innocent lives trapped in the fight, and set the conditions for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Marawi".
Islamist militants took over Marawi City on May 23, leading President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law for the entire island. "For security reasons, we are not able to discuss specific technical details of USA support for ongoing AFP operations".
With a surge of violence from ISIS-affiliated militants in the southern island of Mindanao, it appears the government has reconsidered its tough stance.
The American forces were stationed per the Philippines' request to help defeat Abu Sayyaf, military officials added; ISIS a year ago pronounced the leader of Abu Sayyaf the "emir" of Southeast Asia, according to Reuters.
When asked about US support to fight the pro-Islamic State militants in Marawi City on the island of Mindanao, Duterte said he was "not aware of that until they arrived".
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Military officials believe Isnilon Hapilon, the leader of the Abu Sayyaf militants, is hiding in the town.
Security officials confirmed for the first time the presence of the American forces yesterday as they told reporters that two of the militants' leaders had likely been killed.
On Saturday, Herrera said there was a "strong indication" that the Maute brothers, Abdullah and Omarkhayam, were killed in the fighting Friday.
Some 300 have been killed in the fighting, including militants, Philippine army fighters and civilians.
The fresh casualties brought to 58 the number of government troops killed in the fighting. In April, however, U.S. President Donald Trump reported having a "very friendly conversation" with Duterte who has overseen a wave of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects.
As the fighting intensified, the USA embassy in Manila said that United States forces were providing assistance to the Philippine troops, although it declined to give details for security reasons.
"The fight against terrorism, however, is not only the concern of the Philippines or the United States but it is a concern of many nations around the world".
Media reports said a US P3 Orion surveillance plane was seen flying over Marawi on Friday.
Maute joined forces with Isnilon Hapilon, who was previous year proclaimed by Islamic State as its Southeast Asia "emir".
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