More U.S. Marines to play war games

More U.S. Marines to play war games

PHILIPPINES: About 600 U.S. Marines will arrive in the Philippines next month for a new war exercise involving helicopter night-flying and jungle survival with Filipino troops, a military official said on Tuesday.

The Oct. 11-26 joint exercise on the main northern island of Luzon is the largest between the military allies since a six- month counterterrorism exercise ended in the southern Philippines in July.

The Philippines, troubled by a Marxist insurgency and Muslim extremism in its impoverished south, is a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led global war on terrorism.

Air Force spokesman Maj. Allan Ballesteros said about 400 Filipino air force and army soldiers would join the exercise to be held in two military camps and at the former U.S. Clark Air Force base on Luzon. --AP