Australian journalist Adam Harvey has been hit by a spent bullet in the Philippine city of Marawi while covering the military campaign to root out ISIS rebels who have taken over the town on the southern island of Mindanao.

“Thanks everyone – I’m okay. Bullet is still in my neck, but it missed everything important,” Mr Harvey tweeted on Thursday afternoon.

The ABC’s Southeast Asia correspondent was injured as the Philippine military presses ahead with its three-week campaign to take back the city from Islamic State.

“It felt like I had been hit in the head with a cricket ball … that kind of big, dull thud that hurt, but I didn’t black out,” Harvey told ABC radio.

“The bullet is still in my neck but luckily it missed everything important and is just lodged behind my jaw.”

The correspondent’s sister, Claire Harvey, told 2GB radio that he might have to undergo surgery – perhaps in Singapore – to remove the bullet.

“It looks like this bullet has got him in the gap between the bottom of his helmet and the top of his vest,” she said.

ABC News director Gaven Morris said: “Indonesia correspondent Adam Harvey has been injured while on assignment in Marawi in the Philippines and is currently receiving medical treatment.

Pain in the neck: the spent bullet slipped between Harvey’s helmet and bulletproof vest, miraculously striking nothing vital. Photo: ABC

“His injury is not life threatening.”

Marawi City was seized on May 23 by hundreds of fighters who have sworn allegiance to the IS group, including dozens from neighbouring countries and the Middle East.

An undisclosed number of US troops have joined Philippine forces to root out the Islamic insurgents, who have raised fears heir insurrection would spread.

Mr Harvey was mobbed by a swarm of local journalists as he left what appeared to be a hospital wearing a neck brace and blue helmet.

“I’ve just gone to get an X-ray to get it checked out,” the Australian says in the video posted on Twitter by DDZB Super Radyo.
-with AAP and ABC