ZAMBOANGA, Jan 20: A second batch of US soldiers flew into the Philippines on Sunday on an anti-terror mission which local opposition groups warned could turn the country into another Afghanistan.

Two dozen American servicemen flew from Okinawa, Japan, to Zamboanga city in the southern Philippines, bringing to close to 50 the number of US troops now in the country to train local soldiers fighting Muslim guerrillas linked to Osama bin Laden.

The latest group, flown in by three US military transport aircraft, carried a variety of communications and heavy equipment in a camouflaged cargo container.

“Basically, most of this (equipment) is for logistics,” said a US airman, who declined to give his name.

The American servicemen constituted the advance party to an estimated 650 US troops, including 160 special forces, who will take part in exercises with local soldiers fighting the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, Philippine officials said.

The Abu Sayyaf has held a US missionary couple hostage for nearly eight months on Basilan island near Zamboanga.

Washington has listed the Abu Sayyaf as a supporter of Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network, which US officials blame for the Sept 11 attacks in USA.

Manila has said the US soldiers will only train Filipinos and will not be involved in combat, although they will accompany local troops in the field and will be authorised to fire in self defence. Joint field exercises would not start before April.

But many have said holding training exercises in an area where there is a hostile force is most unusual, and say it could be a cover-up for joint combat operations. The Philippine constitution bars foreign troops from the country except for training or if they are in transit.

Former Senator Francisco Tatad has said the presence of the American forces made the Philippines “a virtual extension of Afghanistan” and that Presidential Gloria Macapagal Arroyo could be impeached for treason.

Presidential peace adviser Eduardo Ermita, seeking to blunt criticism of Manila’s decision to allow Americans to train Filipinos, said the two governments could well decide to do away with joint field operations because of fears that US soldiers could become targets of the Abu Sayyaf.

More than 50 Filipino soldiers and about 150 guerrillas have been killed since the local military launched an operation on Basilan in June to try to recover the two hostages.—Reuters