February 18, 2002, The Philippine Star, US special forces deployed in southern Philippines,

February 18, 2002, The Philippine Star, US special forces deployed in southern Philippines,

Tabiawan, Basilan: US Green Beret commandos flew into an army forward command post here yesterday morning to begin training exercises geared against Abu Sayyaf extremists, according to the military's Southern Command (Southcom).

Clouds of dust rose into the air as MH-47E "Chinook" transport helicopters carrying the 30 US Special Forces and 15 local counterparts landed at the 103rd Army Brigade headquarters amid alert advance teams crouched in the bush with two Simba armoured personnel carriers and two attack helicopters hovering overhead.

Southcom Operations Chief Col Roland Detabali said the training exercises will be focused on augmenting the skills of local troops who are conducting search-and-destroy operations against the Abu Sayyaf.

"The number one priority is the continuous operation in the hinterland of this island province," Detabali said, referring to the Sampinit complex mountain range, where the Abu Sayyaf are holding hostage American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipina nurse Deborah Yap.

Col Alexander Aleo, commander of the 103rd army brigade, said operations against the Abu Sayyaf will continue undisturbed even as US military advisers are deployed to more remote command posts to "observe" local jungle operations.

"The Filipino troops will continue the pursuit operation to finally resolve this problem," Aleo said.

From Tabiawan, Aleo said, the 30 US Special Forces are expected to deploy shortly to command posts in Maluso and Lamitan towns and prepare for the arrival of more US Special Forces in coming days.

Shortly after their arrival, some US soldiers strung up hammocks and napped as others began installing equipment and more attended a briefing in a thatched-roof hut. The Green Berets also underwent "culture-sensitivity" seminars at the Malagutay training camp near Zamboanga city before being flown into Basilan.

The 30 Special Forces make up the first batch of some 160 Special Forces "trainers" to be deployed in the island with administrative and logistics support from Southcom headquarters in nearby Zamboanga city.

The commandos' arrival yesterday brought to 51 the number of Special Forces troops that are to be deployed over the next six months as part of the 660-strong US contingent to the RP [Republic of the Philippines]-US "Balikatan" military exercises.

"We are very honoured and proud to be here," said US Special Forces battalion commander, Col David Maxwell.

"This is an opportunity for us to work together with our Philippine brothers-in-arms, to train together, to learn from each other and we expect that we'll have a very successful exercise," Maxwell added.

Besides training Filipino troops in night fighting, night flying and other special operations, Maxwell said his men will learn something too from local troops who have been fighting various rebellions in Mindanao.

A Filipino militiaman guarding the Tabiawan camp with a Vietnam War-vintage M-14 rifle said the sophisticated Special Forces will boost military strength but said he preferred his simple equipment and experience. "They have the latest guns with scopes but I love my M-14... [ellipsis as published] I wonder if those guns can do the work in the mountains," he said.

But Maxwell said the US servicemen are also expected to gain insights from the local soldiers' experience in jungle operations and familiarity with local terrain and culture, much of which is similar to the rest of Southeast Asia. "The training will be useful in improving our skills. We expect to learn the lessons they learned and their experiences in conducting operations here," he said.