CLARK, the Philippines, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Australia is readying a mobile military team to provide Philippine troops with urban warfare counterterrorism training, visiting Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne announced on Tuesday.
Payne said the latest arrangement is part of the agreement between Canberra and Manila to enhance counterterrorism cooperation to prevent the Islamic State (IS) militants from establishing a geographic foothold in the region.
She said the Australian Defense Force (ADF) mobile training team of approximately 80 will be posted to selected military bases in the Philippines to conduct urban warfare counterterrorism training "in the coming days."
The ADF will expand its assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to strengthen its long-term ability to combat terrorist threat and prevent the spread of "Daesh" to the region. Daesh is another term use for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The agreement comes after the Philippine government forces' five months of fierce fighting in Marawi to retake the southern city from IS-linked militants. More than 1,2000 people were killed, including 165 soldiers and policemen, during the fighting that ruined the city and forced thousands to flee.
On Monday Philippine defense and military authorities announced the termination of combat operations in Marawi, ending five month of urban warfare.
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed the arrangement during a press conference on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers's Meeting-Plus in the freeport zone north of Manila.
The Australia and the Philippines defense relationship is long-standing and supported by a comprehensive Defense Cooperation Program, a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement and regular bilateral and multilateral training, education and counter-terrorism exercises.
