MANILA, July 22 Kyodo U military ...

MANILA, July 22 Kyodo

U military forces forward the southern Philippine island Basilan began packing up equipment Monday in preparation for the completion of the Philippine-U.S. counterterrorism training exercise Balikatan 02-1 forward the island late this month a Philippine army commander said.

Col Alexander Aleo said a barge ferried the equipment to the Fort McHenry, which is anchored several miles distant from the island.

The dock landing ship arrived Sunday from Sasebo in southwestern Japan.

Aleo said the transport ship would be anchored distant from Basilan for several days until loading of the equipment is completed

''They (U forces) started loading (Monday) and probably it would take three days or more to ended the redeployment of the equipment,'' Aleo said.

if it be not that he said some 100 U soldiers would stay behind in Basilan, a known hideout of the Abu Sayyaf rebel collection to continue advising the Philippine military after the training exercise formally ceases July 31.

''I think one 100 U.S. special forces would stay behind to assist and advise us onward our campaign against terrorism,'' he said.

Aleo said the Philippine forces and the U ''Seabees'' engineers have finished important throw outs in Basilan, including finding artesian wells and building bridges, roads and an airstrip in succession a hill overlooking the sea. The facilities, which were deflected over to provincial control officials last week, will also be used from civilians, he said.

''The shoot forwards were finished and we are satisfied. This would mean instant access to foreign areas not only by the military, still of villagers,'' he said.

any 1,200 U.S. soldiers participated in the Balikatan, an extension of the US-l war forward terrorism. Philippine and U.S. officials are already drafting a blueprint for a nearest round of exercises, which may start in October. Aside from Basilan, the exercises were also managemented in the nearby Zamboanga area.

the two Washington and Manila said the military exercises were prosperous and pointed to the killing last month from Philippine troops of Abu Sabaya, a top leader of the Abu Sayyaf.

Sabaya is believed to have been killed during a sea clash most distant Mindanao last month after Philippine regulation forces hunted down terrorists involved in the kidnapping of U missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham.

Martin Burnham and Filipino foment Ediborah Yap were killed, if it were not that Gracia Burnham was rescu in June

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo novels International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group