- (AFP) -The United States has launched joint military
operations with the Philippines against Muslim Abu Sayyaf guerillas linked
to Saudi militant Osama bin laden's al-Qaeda, officials said.
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- Amid tight security, Philippine military chief General
Diomedio Villanueva formally launched the six-month campaign involving
up to 600 US military personnel and 3,800 Filipino soldiers.
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- The US has said its troops will largely train the
Filipinos
in counter-terrorism operations and will not be directly involved in
combating
the Abu Sayyaf rebels in their southern Philippine strongholds.
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- "Although we may be many miles away across the
ocean,
like good neighbors we are here to work and train with our counterparts
to help enhance their ability to counter terrorism, a very real threat
in the world today," commander of the US contingent Brigadier General
Donald Wurster said in his opening remarks.
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- "We are looking forward to working together shoulder
to shoulder in this important effort, he said.
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- The campaign will see one of the biggest deployments
of American troops since the United States began its campaign in
Afghanistan
to wipe out the al-Qaeda terrorist network of Osama bin Laden, blamed for
the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
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- The United States has linked the Abu Sayyaf group to
al-Qaeda and has condemned it for being a "terrorist"
organization.
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- Heavily-armed soldiers were stationed at strategic spots
throughout southern Zamboanga city where the formal launching was held
Thursday.
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- The port city serves as the Philippine military's main
base for operations against the Abu Sayyaf, a shadowy group notorious for
a spate of kidnappings, including foreigners.
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- Abu Sayyaf guerillas at present hold an America
missionary
couple and a Filipina nurse hostage in the nearby southern island stronhold
of Basilan.
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- Before the ceremonies, a group of about 30 leftists
staged
a brief protest rally in front of the military base where the formal
launching
was due to be held.
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- They chanted "yankees go home," and burned
a makeshift US flag, defaced with obscenities. The protesters left
peacefully
after a few minutes.
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