By Aaron B. Recuenco
The Australian Army has trained 257 Filipino soldiers on urban combat operations as part of the move to strengthen the Philippine military’s operational capability against terrorists in cities and highly populated areas following the Marawi City siege last year.
Major Gen. Noel Clement, commander of the 10th Infantry Division, said the two-week training focused on urban close combat, search and breach operation, managing combat trauma, communication operation, command and control in urban operation, sniping and counter-sniping, and joint fires and airspace deconfliction.
“With threats evolving and becoming more aggressive in utilizing any means to conduct terrorism in the country, our thrust of protecting the people and securing communities must be recalibrated and should be added with much needed knowledge and skills to address terrorist threat,” said Clement.
He said the Australian Defense Force that facilitated the exercise which started on Feb. 15 is composed of six officers and 52 enlisted personnel.
Under the training which is part of the Philippines-Australia Army to Army Exercise, soldiers from Eastern Mindanao have been trained in various approaches and strategies in dealing with urban terrorism using modern equipment and tried-and-tested combat schemes.
