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Wednesday January 2, 4:16 PMPhilippine military to probe US troops' closure of hospital
Armed US troops reportedly entered the hospital in Panamao on Jolo island in late November and ordered doctors to close it down every night, preventing them from treating patients. The Philippine military says the US forces have since apologised. Jolo is a stronghold of Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants. US Special Forces troops are providing training as well as intelligence to Filipino troops fighting the group, which has been blamed for the country's worst terrorist attacks. Major General Nelson Allaga, commander of Philippine military forces in the south, said the command would "investigate the alleged meddling of US forces in the operation of a hospital in Panamao." The incident "had an adverse impact on the ongoing joint humanitarian efforts of the US forces and the armed forces of the Philippines" operating on Jolo and nearby islands, a Philippine military statement said. Spokesmen for the US military forces in the south could not be reached for comment. Local military officials have said the Americans might have wanted the hospital closed at night to prevent it becoming a launching pad for attacks on their nearby camp. |
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