Deadly Philippine violence continues

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This is still not getting much press, but somebody seems to have
kicked up a real shitstorm in the Southeren Phillipines.

Three days of fighting between the Philippine army and two groups of Islamist rebels on the southwestern island of Jolo has seen the toll rise to 60, the military says.

The military had launched an offensive against rebels from Abu Sayyaf, a small group linked to al-Qaida, and renegades from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), said army spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Buenaventura Pascual on Wednesday.

He added that hundreds of extra troops had been rushed to the island, bringing the total military presence to 3000 soliders with three marine and three army battalions deployed.

Both groups have strongholds in the mountains and jungles of Jolo. The MNLF signed a peace deal in 1996, but some disgruntled members joined Abu Sayyaf and were involved in several cross-border captures in 2000.

al Jazeera

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1. "Somebody"

http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2005/01/11/MTNN2005011126112.html

750 American troops due here for ‘Balikatan’

Seven hundred fifty (750) United States soldiers will arrive in the Philippines in February to conduct with Filipino soldiers the "Balikatan" (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises for 2005 which will follow up on counter-terrorism and disaster-management training for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFACOM) announced yesterday.


and...

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200502100404.htm

While in Manila, Fargo also met with senior officials of the defense department headed by Cruz and AFP chief Gen. Efren Abu.

He defended the presence of 73 American military intelligence operatives in Mindanao whose existence created a storm of controversy after Ricciardone revealed their presence in the South.

"Our relationship is one of providing training and assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. There is nothing new here, nothing has changed," Fargo pointed out.

Amid renewed threats by renegade rebels to the ongoing peace process in the southern Philippines, Ricciardone has said the American military trainers are there to help in intelligence-gathering and anti-terrorism tactics.

Malacañang has rejected calls to send the US spies away. Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye reiterated Mrs. Arroyo’s stand to maintain intelligence fusion and assistance from the US in line with the international campaign against terrorism.

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2. Well, isn't it nice we can spare the troops? nt