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| Saturday, 22 February 2003 |
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US troops to join in offensive against rebels Manila, Friday (AFP) About 1,750 US troops will take part in an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf rebel group in the southern Philippines, a US defense official said ratcheting up the level of US involvement in that conflict. "These operations will be led by the Armed Force of the Philippines with assistance by US forces," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. US forces last year helped train and advise Filipino military units in an operation against Abu Sayyaf on the southern island of Basilan. But the official said this time US forces -- which include elite special forces and marines -- would participate in combat. "This is different. This is an actual combined operation, and it is US forces accompanying and actively participating in Philippines-led offensive operations," the official said. In Manila, however, a spokesman for Philippine President Gloria Arroyo denied US troops would take part in combat. Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the American troops would only engage in training and observing local forces in their hunt for the Abu Sayyaf, a feared kidnap group with alleged ties to al-Qaeda. "In other words, no combat troops. Everything will be for training and advice," he said. |
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