US provides Philippines with anti-terrorism weapons

(Baonghean.vn)- On June 5, the US provided the Philippines with hundreds of machine guns, pistols and grenade launchers. According to a local commander, these weapons will be used to fight extremist rebels who are fighting with the army in Malawi city, southern Philippines.

Philippine and US Marines inspect M134D machine guns during a handover ceremony of the weapons from the US military in Manila. Photo: AFP

The weapons, including machine guns capable of firing thousands of rounds a minute, were handed over to Philippine authorities at a ceremony at the Marine Corps headquarters in Manila to mark a decade-long US counterterrorism assistance program worth about $150 million.

“This equipment will strengthen the counterterrorism capabilities of the Philippine Marine Corps, and help protect service members currently actively participating in counterterrorism operations in the southern Philippines,” the US embassy in the Philippines said in a statement.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sees China and Russia as new sources of weapons to replace the US. Photo: AP

Speaking at the ceremony, General Emmanuel Salamat, commander of the Philippine Marine Corps, said soldiers would use the weapons in the current fight against extremist Islamic militants in the southern city of Malawi.

The Philippine military says nearly 180 soldiers and civilians have been killed in Marawi, in the south of the country, after hundreds of gunmen waving black IS-style flags rampaged through the city. In recent days, Philippine armed forces have used ground troops and helicopters to drive out the militants who have taken control of parts of the city. President Rodrigo Duterte quickly declared martial law in the southern province of Mindanao to quell what he said was a rapidly growing IS threat.

Since taking office, President Duterte has looked to China and Russia as new sources of weapons, and criticized the quality of military equipment provided by the US to the Philippines as “used”.

However, according to US officials, the weapons that Washington provided to Manila were all brand new. They included four M134D Gatling machine guns, capable of firing thousands of rounds per minute, 300 M4 assault rifles and 100 grenade launchers.

Lan Ha

(According to AFP)