Fifteen foreign military attaches and observers from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, China, France, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India and Indonesia have arrived in Zamboanga to help the military and the police fight the Abu Sayyaf Group.
"They are here to assess and find ways of helping the Philippine military fight terrorism," southern military chief, Lt-Gen Roy Cimatu said.
He added that the visit is definitely related to the U.S.-led coalition against the Taliban government to flush out Osama bin Laden.
The military attaches were expected to meet the five-man team of American military advisers which arrived in Zamboanga City on Tuesday. They were sent earlier to assess the kind of assistance that the U.S. will provide in fighting the Abu Sayyaf Group.
The U.S. military advisers were "in the process of coordinating our efforts at combating terrorism, both international and domestic," explained Philippine Defence Secretary Angelo Reyes, who added that they will be in the country for two weeks.
Several hours before the foreign attaches arrived, a grenade ripped through a grocery in Zamboanga, causing no injuries.
Foreign help to tackle Abu Sayyaf
Fifteen foreign military attaches and observers from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, China, France, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India and Indonesia have arrived in Zamboanga to help the military and the police fight the Abu Sayyaf Group.
