Cessna C-208B Grand Caravans provided forthe Philippines. (Nguồn: ABS-CBN News) Hanoi (VNA) - The United States senttwo surveillance aircraft and began delivering weapons to the Philippines onJuly 27 to help the Asian nation fight Islamist militants.
The two Cessna C208B planes, which together withtheir equipment are worth more than 30 million USD, will track Islamic State(IS) group-styled gunmen as well as patrol maritime borders, US ambassador SungKim and Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.
The US has also flown P3 Orion surveillanceaircraft over Marawi while US Special Forces troops based in the southernregion of Mindanao have been operating drones, which aimed at helpingPhilippine forces locate the militants.
Ambassador Sung Kim said the US had also begundelivering nearly 1,000 rockets, hundreds of pistols and grenade launcherspurchased by the Philippines.
Washington will transfer to the Philippine military aerial surveillance systemsto further bolster the country’s capabilities to fight those that threat peaceand security of the Philippines.
These are the latest support from Washington tohelp President Rodrigo Duterte root out militants who have been fightinggovernment troops in the southern city of Marawi for more than two months.
Last week, the US Ambassador affirmed the USwill provide a very important support for the Armed Forces of the Philippinesin terms of information and intelligence sharing, training, technical advice aswell as equipment grants.
He also noted that American troops are presentin Mindanao under the mutual defense treaty between the two countries, addingthat the US is committed to helping with the rehabilitation program forMarawi.-VNA
VNA
