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Monday, September 15, 2003
US soldiers arrive in RP for training
SUBIC -- Some 1,500 United States Marines arrived Sunday in this former American naval base west of Manila for weeklong training exercises with their local counterparts.
The US troops are part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa, Japan and would be engaged in bilateral exercises aimed at enhancing the "inter-operability" of both forces, the Filipino military said.
The exercises would include live-fire training, air support operations and ship-to-shore landings as well as civic actions inluding medical, dental and engineering activities in surrounding communities.
The Philippines is a staunch supporter of the US-led global war on terrorism and President George W. Bush in May elevated the Southeast Asian country to major non-Nato ally.
This means greater military assistance to Manila, including in terms of exercises and military hardware.
Hundreds of US troops were deployed to Mindanao in 2001 for joint exercises aimed at helping the Philippine military go after the Abu Sayyaf, a small group of Islamic militants linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. AFP |
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