The Philippine Navy said on July 16 that it and the Royal Australian Navy has started 10-day joint exercises in the Sulu Sea to deal with threats of kidnapping and terrorism.
Philippine Navy (Source:
cimsec.org)
Cheryl Tindog, spokesperson of the Western
Command of the Philippine Navy, said in a statement that the exercises, which
will end on July 25, aim to enhance training, interoperability and cooperation
between the two navies in coping with terrorism and kidnapping activities in
the region.
The drills take place in the waters off Coron island, northern Palawan, and off
Balabac island in the south of Palawan.
Activities in the coming days will include interoperability exercises on naval
communication system, plan making, individual shipboard training, maritime
surveillance and search and rescue, Tindog said.
Around 200 naval soldiers, including 100 Australians, joined the exercises.
Australian navy vessels HMAS Ararat and HMAS Wollonggong,and Philippine
Navy ships BRP Simeon castro (PC 374), BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF 16) are the assets
used for the joint drills.
In November 2017, the Philippine and Australian navies conducted a 22-day joint
exercise in the waters off Mindanao in southern Philippines.
In recent years, terrorist attacks and kidnappings have increased in the Sulu
Sea, located in the southwest of the Philippines, forcing many countries
to increase forces to protect this sea.
In May 2001, the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines
launched an attack on a small island in the Sulu Sea,
capturing 20 tourists. In June 2006, this group also arrested seven Indonesian
sailors in the waters as hostages.
Source: VNA
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