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US Has No Plans for Anti-Daesh Drone Strikes in Philippines - Pentagon

© AP Photo / Kirsty WigglesworthGeneral Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drone
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drone - Sputnik International
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The United States has no plans to conduct strikes in the Philippines against the positions of Daesh terror group (banned in Russia), US Department of Defense spokesperson Christopher Logan told Sputnik on Tuesday.

National Democratic Front of the Philippines, NDFP, leader Jose Maria Sison delivers his speech during the formal opening of the Philippines peace talks in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017. - Sputnik International
Philippines National Democratic Front Says CIA Working to Overthrow Duterte
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US media reported on Monday that the Defense Department is considering a plan that includes drone strikes against the terrorists in the Philippines.

"The Philippines have not requested nor is the US planning drone strikes in the Philippines," Logan stated. "We respect the sovereignty of the Philippines, and we are not pursuing unilateral action in the Philippines."

Logan noted that the United States continues to help train, advise and assist the Philippines security forces fighting the terrorists.

"We also continue to support the modernization of the Philippines' armed forces to address the country's security challenges through a comprehensive grant assistance program that seeks to deliver needed counterterrorism (CT) equipment and training," he said.

On May 23, Philippine security forces stormed the city of Marawi seeking to prevent two Islamic State-affiliated groups from meeting, which sparked up a full-scale armed conflict.

Two days later, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law on the southern island of Mindanao, which is often subjected to attacks by Islamic State-linked terror groups. So far, more than 500 militants and 122 Philippine servicemen have been killed in fighting in Marawi.

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