U.S. marines deliver humanitarian aid

Wed, 31 Oct 2001 | Source: AP

EAST TIMOR: About 1,000 U.S. marines were deployed across East Timor on Tuesday to provide medical assistance and other aid as part of a three-day visit to the new nation which is still struggling to recover from years of violence.

The troops arrived in East Timor on Monday from bases in Sasebo and Okinawa, Japan, said Maj. Paul Van Breeman, the U.S. military spokesman in East Timor.

They will remain until Wednesday, providing medical and dental assistance as well as helping to construct public buildings. They will also deliver sports equipment to remote communities.

The troops -- who arrived aboard the amphibious ships USS Essex, USS Germantown and USS Ft. McHenry -- will spend their time in the capital, Dili, the border town of Suai and the isolated enclave of Oecussi. --AP

View JSON | Print