RP-US exercises suspended due to Siocon attack

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The joint anti-terrorism training between American and Filipino troops has been temporarily suspended following the attack on Siocon town in Zamboanga del Norte Sunday by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

United States Special Operations Joint Task Force-P (SOJTF-Philippines) spokesman Maj. Randy Cephus has confirmed the postponement of the training of the four light infantry battalions.

He said there was no exact schedule yet as to when the Bayanihan exercises would resume, though he said the suspension of the joint training would not be a long one. "The training was postponed. I don’t know yet as to the date it will resume."

Some 200 US soldiers and 70 US Special Forces are now in Zamboanga City for the training of Philippine soldiers who were pulled out and deployed to augment the military strength in the Siocon and Sirawai areas.

Military sources said that the training may resume after two weeks.

Two army companies consisting of over 200 soldiers have already finished their anti-terrorism training, while a company of marines under the 5th Marine Battalion was deployed to augment the troops pursuing the MILF in Zamboanga del Norte.

The Bayanihan exercises in Zamboanga City are part of five training modules meant to enhance the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) capability to combat terrorism.

AFP Southern Command (SouthCom) chief Maj. Gen. Roy Kyamko reported Thursday that a camp of the Siocon raiders was overrun without resistance by pursuing troops in the jungles of Sirawai.

"The troops believed that the camps were hastily abandoned by the fleeing raiders Wednesday," Kyamko said, adding that the offensive against the Siocon raiders is in full swing.