MANILA - An advance guard of United States troops has begun joint operations in the southern Philippines against Muslim guerrillas linked to Osama bin Laden.
The move is the most significant expansion of Washington's war against terror beyond Afghanistan.
About two dozen or so troops are in Zamboanga, the headquarters of the Philippines' southern military command, for the Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises.
"This is the deployment stage that started today," Philippines Defence Secretary Angelo Reyes said.
By the middle of next month the full contingent of about 160 special forces - including Navy Seals, the Army's Green Berets, Marines with special operations capabilities and Air Force special forces - would be helping fight the Abu Sayyaf rebels.
Backing them would be about 500 US support and technical personnel.
The operation began yesterday. It is expected to last at least until June and may extend to the end of the year.
Officially, the American forces will provide only advice, technical support and an assessment of the Philippines troops.
But they will accompany local soldiers on patrol in rebel areas, be armed and be authorised to fire in self-defence.
Philippine officials have gone to considerable lengths to say that US soldiers will not take part in combat because of local sensitivities.
The Philippines was a US colony from 1898 until 1946. US leases on local military bases were withdrawn in 1991.
The constitution now prohibits foreign troops being based in the country, except for training.
But Manila has always had warm ties with the US. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited Washington in November and returned with promises of more than $US100 million ($236 million) in military aid.
Mr Reyes said yesterday that the US troops would would go with Philippines troops on patrol on Basilan, a rugged and jungle-clad island that is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas.
"We will do the fighting," he said. "The Abu Sayyaf is a problem of the Philippines and the US is only helping us."
About 5000 Philippine troops have been fighting on Basilan for months to counter the 1000 or so Abu Sayyaf guerrillas and to rescue a US couple and a local nurse who have been held captive for more than seven months.
The Government says that since June, about 50 soldiers and about 160 guerrillas have been killed on Basilan and on Jolo, an island further south where the Abu Sayyaf also operates.
The US claims that Abu Sayyaf is linked to the al Qaeda network of Saudi-born bin Laden.
- REUTERS
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