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Reuters. 10 January 2002. Over 100 U.S. Soldiers to Train Philippines
Troops.
ZAMBOANGA -- An advance team of U.S. soldiers arrived in the southern
Philippines on Thursday, the first of a group of more than 100 who will
train local troops fighting Muslim guerrillas linked to al Qaeda,
officials said.
"They will be here to train but not to go to the front lines. This is to
enhance the capability of our forces in combating terrorism," Philippine
Armed forces chief General Diomedio Villanueva told reporters, rejecting
newspaper speculation that U.S. troops may join in front line
operations.
The advance team of eight U.S. soldiers arrived in the southern city of
Zamboanga on Thursday with the bulk of the other soldiers to arrive
later in the month, Villanueva said.
Other officials said many of the troops would arrive in February.
Zamboanga is the headquarters of the southern military command and the
springboard for operations against the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, who want a
separate Islamic state in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines.
The United States has linked Abu Sayyaf to al Qaeda leader Osama bin
Laden, blamed by Washington for the September 11 attacks on New York and
Washington.
The Philippine rebels have been holding a U.S. couple hostage since May.
The U.S. government has committed more than $100 million in military
assistance to the Philippines as part of a campaign against terrorism in
the wake of the September 11 attacks.
U.S. President George Bush has offered to send troops to the Philippines
to combat the guerrillas, but Manila has refused, saying it would need
an act of Congress to allow foreign troops to operate in the country.
The two countries have a mutual defense treaty under which they hold
joint training and exercises, and the United States supplies the bulk of
the Philippines' weapons requirements.
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