War games start in terror hotbed

Jolo: A joint US-Philippine military exercise, coupled with medical and infrastructure assistance programme, started in Sulu, southern Philippines, the hotbed of a local and international terror groups.

"The joint military event is the first to be conducted this year. It would be followed by similar exercises in Tawi-Tawi and in Central Mindanao," said Major John Redfield, spokesman of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines.

Troops were likewise deployed to protect all the US and Filipino forces who are involved in the joint war-games for three weeks, said Redfield.

The Abu Sayyaf Group and members of the Jemaah Islamiyah, the southeast Asian conduit of the Al Qaida terror network, have been hiding in Jolo, Tawi Tawi and Basilan islands in the south.

The US troops also brought construction equipment from a US base in nearby Okinawa, Japan.

Other tasks

Members of the US and Philippine Armed Forces were also tasked to repair schools, hospitals, and a four-kilometre Indanan road. American and Filipino soldiers will also conduct medical outreach programmes in different villages in Sulu.

"I am glad that these things are being undertaken," said Sulu Governor Benjamin Loong, adding, "Infrastructure development in Sulu would boost my arms-to-farms programme."

The local government unit has campaigned for an intensified planting of crops to boost the agricultural sector in Sulu.

The Philippine military has adopted a new strategy in winning the hearts and minds of residents in Sulu, some of whom have been supporting members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

A military campaign against the Abu Sayyaf which began last August in the jungles of Sulu had killed Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sulayman in September and in January, respectively.