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U.S. Military Train
to Philippines Troops in Mindanao
MANILA, Oct 18 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - U.S. anti-terrorism experts have arrived in Mindanao to assist the Philippine military in its war against the Abu Sayyaf, the U.S. embassy in Manila said Wednesday.
It said this was the first batch of advisers, and did not say whether the team would also participate in the search, though it said U.S. advisers would not confront the Abu Sayyaf militarily.
U.S. embassy charge d' affaires Robert Fitts said more "consultants" would arrive before the end of the month. He said they are not combat troops, but would provide additional training. "We will have commanders down south strategizing against terrorists in the jungles in about two weeks."
"There are some who have arrived earlier and they are in [the military's] Southern Command" in Zamboanga City, he added.
The Abu Sayyaf group is facing the strongest military offensive yet by the Philippine's government this month and has suffered severe loses, according to military sources in Manila.
The group is still holding two Americans as hostages, and has threatened to kill them.
Fitts did not disclose the number of U.S. military advisers arriving in the country, but National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said last week that "we expect a relatively sizeable delegation" to include "basically Army officials, maybe numbering more than two dozens."
The Americans would extend not only "additional training" but also special equipment, and probably share "intelligence information".
At one time during the height of the conflict with the Abu Sayyaf in 2000, the U.S. Army assisted the Filipinos with logistic support that included satellite photos and detection.
This greatly helped the local army, but the Abu Sayyaf remained elusive and escaped all offensives.
U.S.-trained Scout Rangers of the Light Reaction Company had earlier been sent to Basilan to rescue U.S. Christian missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham, who are being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf.
Besides the Burnham's, the Abu Sayyaf is currently holding nine Filipino hostages on Basilan island - the number down from 16 after some escaped and were rescued during a major offensive by government forces in recent weeks.
Last June, the group beheaded American hostage Guillermo Sobero, whom the group abducted along with the Burnham's and 17 Filipinos from an island resort in Palawan on May 27th.
Since the crisis began, the group has murdered 16 Filipino hostages.
Military officials said the Abu Sayyaf was set up in the early 1990s with seed money from the al-Qaeda network of Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.
Admiral Dennis Blair, U.S. Pacific Forces commander, is also due in Manila in early November to meet with defense officials.
Eleven U.S. aircraft are expected to arrive, meanwhile, at Clark Air Field in Pampanga Wednesday night for refueling.
Col. Horacio Lapinid, Philippine Air Force spokesman, said the aircraft were six F-18 fighter jets and five C-130 cargo planes. "We don't know where their destination is, but they will be staying at Clark overnight."
With additional reporting by Kazi Mahmood
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