http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BD7...8B127457634.htm

I think they are not.

I think they are referring to the LRC/LRB. The SRs have been dispatch but without much funfare or media coverage.

Those whom the media report are referring to are most likely the Scout Rangers alright sicnce they were flown in by a C130 transport plane.

The LRC by the way, were flown in by an Air Force Fokker plane, as shown by the video footage.

Nonetheless, several sorties might have been dispatched to bring in several companies of both the LRC and SR.

Both the Scout Rangers and the Light Reaction Compnay were sent to Jolo to lead the assault apparently.

Other news reports confirmed the arrival of SR troops in Jolo.

The LRC by the way are MOSTLY composed of men from the Army's Special Operations Command (SOCOM). These are the men from the Scout Rangers and Special Forces - Airborne regiments.

I believe the SWAG, Marine SS and FR are getting busy too, ... doing their own part in total secrecy.

Its the LRC alright :thumb:

JOLO, Sulu, Philippines -- US-trained troops equipped with night-vision goggles and bullet-proof body armor joined the fray against Moro insurgents on Jolo yesterday as Malacañang held off any ceasefire order despite Muslim calls for an end to the fighting.

Government losses in the conflict have risen to 27 dead and the military said it expected more fighting ahead as its forces closed in on the insurgents' hideouts.

"As of now there is no such order for a ceasefire," President Macapagal-Arroyo said in a press conference in Malacañang.

Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff Ariston de los Reyes said the AFP would pursue the operations against members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) unless a ceasefire was ordered by higher authorities.

The military deployed additional troops to Jolo, including 40 soldiers who underwent special training with US forces in jungle warfare and close quarter combat.

Members of the US-trained group, numbering about a company, are equipped with more powerful assault rifles and better radios than ordinary soldiers, as well as bullet-proof body plates from chest down to their legs.

http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=27206

why are LRC operators wearing different right sleeve patches?

An SR Group flew in without much fanfare and the tv coverage are either the marines, LRC and the other reinforcing battalions of task force comet.

maybe to represent their mother units

Scout Rangers in Jolo

PICTURES

There's a sniper in the group with a M24 - cool.

What they are referring to here are the LRC guys; many of them used to be members of the FSRR. We have a separate contingent of Scout Ranger Battalion now deployed in Sulu.

Some of the guys wearing the musang patch as shown in the pictures are not actually organic members of the FSRR but Scout Ranger graduates who WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED as organic SR personnel by wearing our unit patch (Musang). :demon:

I think its an accurized M14 with a Sprinfield ART scope, I think I know which Bn this guy came from.

Ask Mr. Surehitter he may know better about this rifle.

Are they allowed to do that?

Really? I was made to believe that the PA don't have any accurized M-14, just stock rifles with scopes added for DMR or similar duty.

hehehe

... seems like you've been far away for too long, dude. :armyroleyes:

Hey, guess what?

A lot of the renegade MNLF rebel leader's own commanders were killed recently.

I believe the snipers are doing well. :armywink:

I am wondering how Malik was able to escape the crosshairs of our military snipers?

Misuari loyalists elude military troops in Sulu chase

Posted 04:52pm (Mla time) Feb 15, 2005
By Joel Francis Guinto
INQ7.net




Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386.


RENEGADE members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) eluded military troops in barangay (village) Bitan-ag in Panamo town, Sulu province, Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Efren Abu said Tuesday.
"At this moment, they are not there anymore. As what I've said we have done the mopping up operations and the scout rangers are pursuing the remnants," Abu said on television.

Abu's statement came after military Southern Command chief Lieutenant General Alberto Braganza said barangay Bitan-ag was the "last stand" of the loyalists of jailed Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari.

When asked if the rebels escaped, Abu said: "Yes, but as what I've said we have inflicted maximum casualties and many of them are withdrawing and the rangers are pursuing them."

Over 70 soldiers and rebels have been killed since fighting between the military and Misuari loyalists in Sulu broke last week.

Over the weekend, the military said the Muslim rebels were forced to retreat after Army troops occupied their main camp in barangay Bitan-ag.

The government has vowed no let up in military operations in Sulu despite calls for a ceasefire.

The military has linked the crisis in Jolo to Monday’s bombings in the cities of Makati, Davao and General Santos in which seven people were killed and scores were injured. The Abu Sayyaf, reported to have joined Misuari loyalists, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

=====================================================


Escape?

How did that happen?

We have to change our strategy here!

Maybe, upon sensing the advance of the LRC and Scout Rangers, a sure death for them, they decided to retreat.

This is not good!

It is best if we encourage them to confront the military to the end so that we can neutralize them completely.

Allowing them to escape will only give them time to regroup and draft new plans.

The military should instead just let the regular Army or Marines lead the assault and the rest will just secure any possible escape route.

When all escape routes are REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY SEALED, we then call in the LRC, SWAGs and Scout Rangers to finish them off.

They have escaped.

They will surely wreak havoc once again anytime soon. :bs:

At least they have proven that they are scared of the military's real might. :armyroleyes:

They are not really the accurized US AMTU M14 or an XM21 class rifle. They are selected from rifles that can hit consistently and the receiver beds properly. Then it is attached with a scope mount and a scope. This is almost 5 years old. A new set of accurized rifles (maybe as per US AMTU specs) is in the works.

Oh the MNLF formations mentioned are hurt badly I can assure that. Kudos to the SRBn on the ground!

The dispersing MN Misuari and ASG fighters might have eluded the PAF bombs but the SRs, SF, Force Recon, PN SWAG and LRC specwarries are hot on their trails...

They can run and run but not for long...whispering death is not far behind.

:sniper:

The SR says they are having a hard time eliminating them because the rebels keep on running away.

And they found out that Sulu is not that small as they thought.

oh they will always escape the chase, especially if the right briefcase with the right amount of money inside goes to the right general...har har har :armytwisted:

Just like what happened in Lamitan? :dunno:

and where is Gen. Dominguez now?

Let's wait and see!

Saw Col Danny Lim (SR Regimental Commander) and two SR junior officers on TV inspecting the overrunned MNLF camp in Sulu. Well done guys, no let up in the pursuit. Avenge our fallen brothers from the PMC.

Yes, they are stock rifles and not really accurized ones like the M21 used by the US Army before the coming of the M24.

I had personally tested one of these M14's mounted with Springfield scopes. Our main problem was its poor mounting which loosens after firing some rounds. It has scored in the field despite of this problem.

It was the Rangers and other SFs who initially broke the camp's defenses. the footage also showed two or three hooded snipers who shunned the camera.

I just hope that their efforts will not go to waste as did what happened to Capt. Guinolbay's Ranger team in Lamitan.

:thumb:

So what's the point in capturing an EMPTY camp?

From all accounts, the rebels fled hours before your army troops entered the camp.

No dead bodies of enemy combatants are shown in your media, only those of dead soldiers. Your army claim more than 100 muslim terrorists ...ermmm, are those number of killed hard to miss by your media who claim to be the freest media in Asia?

Where's the evidence of enemy casualties??

We have one of the freeist media in Asia, but we also claim to be humane. If we beat our enemies and killed most of them, no need to spark tension and hatred by showing pictures of dead mutilated bodies. Aint our style man, we have learned this lesson a long time ago, and the americans are learning this in Iraq as of late. Media coverage of dead bodies with triumphant troops on the background is the enemy's best propaganda tool. You won the battle why lose the peace.

Say what you want but as far as we know we have diffused a convoluted, culture ridden, religion fired, protracted campaign. That is what's important not the news coverage.

They do not need to show evidence to you, who are you anyways?

take a nap flashbang...and don't suck your thumb eh?!

poor toy soldier...

Mr. Flashbang, whoever you are, dont teach us what to do. Be a Filipino soldier if you want to know how to fight these guerillas in our country.

Why are you looking for evidences of casualties? Do you want us to emulate Zarqawi's group by taking videos of body parts scattered all over the place in the encounter area? Do you want to see pools of blood still fresh on the ground? Maybe footage of soldiers standing over cadavers of Muslim rebels?

We are in the computer age but your thinking is way behind the dark ages of warfare. Hey Mister, maybe youre frame of thinking is still locked on the times of the Spartan warriors of King Leonidas, the Roman Legions and the Companions of Alexander.

Scout Rangers had scored LOTS OF ENEMY CASUALTIES; but, we do not brag on how we did it. Ask Malik's people how terrified they were by the aggressiveness of our troops. Hooooooooah!

Telling how much casualties the govt has inflicted to the opposite side might really incite retaliations and even preempt the peaceful resolutions of these conflicts.

The point there is that, if the AFP wins a particular battle, it is very unlikely that the enemies retreated without suffering casualties.

Moreover, showing photos of the cadavers, mutilated or burned beyond recognition, may make some morons jubilant...

.. but that will get the ire of the rest, especially the human rights activists and the rebels themselves including their families and those who love them.

Rebellion here in our country is being fought in the smartest way possible.

You want to hear gruesome stories? We can tell you a lot.

But even us dont feel good telling about it because it also pains us knowing our brothers ended up like that.

:dunno:

Why is it a big deal to you if I asked about photos of enemy casualties? Its but normal in a free press don't you think?. So if your media cannot show images of enemy casualties then there are only two possible reasons:

Your military muzzled or prevented them from taking pictures or there are no enemy casualties at all! Its more likely the latter...

There was no victory in the capture of that camp, no military prowess in there - the enemy just melted into the jungles and dispersed making it more difficult to hunt them.

Isn't this the reality of your supposedly expert and experienced military? Why do you people take this as an insult is beyond me. Its reality. Even before the MNLF did this attacks, the abu sayafs are astill running rampant...and now they are combining forces.

Don't let your emotions rule your brains.

Well we are not known for free press we are much more known for responsible reporting. The press organizations like FOCAP, KBP and NPC have protocols on showing graphic scenes. The rule is really simple, mutilated and dead bodies visually and graphically embodies atrocities. If there were atrocities made, the press editors will be falling in line just to get the scoop out but for battle and war scenes, the press respects the following;

1. Operational Security of Military and Police forces
2. Respect for the bereavement of the families
3. Social and Cultural sensitivities about death by each cultural segement of society.
4. Impact of reporting on the conflict and responsibility of media press

Even a foreign journalist who first came in the Philippines checks with the local press club and FOCAP to orient himself about local reporting protocols.

Its kinda funny that its akin to the emperor who for the first time got his new clothes, eventually it occured to him that he is the only idiot around.

If you can not follow the meaning of the last statement, blame your childhood.

Clap, clap, clap. I just luvs ya CDF! :thumb:

To flashbang:

this 5-man team can wipeout a company of your soldiers in less than an hour :demon:

bakbakan tlaga...isa na lang grenade ang naiwan sa bandoleer ng grenadier!

2 grenadiers
2 marksmen
1 machine gunner

not bad numbers - 2 companies will do...

:rifle:

But why is it that the press is allowed to show images and even videos of dead Phil soldiers? How will the people perceive the propaganda war when rebel commanders interviewed by mediamen calim that there are no rebel casualties and that they just abandoned the camp to disperse in order to fight another day. The news is always of additional soldiers killed after having been ambushed by the rebels even though their camp was already captured and they are being chased.

There can be ways of showing enemy casualties to the media without being too graphic about it. and one more thing also - There were not even pictures of captured enemy rebels.

The claims of the military are not being substantiated satisfactorily.

:agree:

There were pictures of the wake and pre funeral rites, even them transporting over in C130s the remains and there were pictures of the medevac. But I have not seen mutilated bodies of soldiers on the media. Gotta qualify what you have seen.

The only instance that a video of dead soldiers was years ago, it was an ambush by MILF fighters hidden in an irrigation structure converted into a slit view bunker. The media outfit apologized to the families and never showed the videos again. The rest were NPAs executing policemen during a media coverage of an NPA-PNP/PA encounter.

Sorry to say, gotta know your stuff to argue with me.

Besides, I prefer pics of soldier casualties as it shows how tax payers are getting their money's worth, than pics of the enemy casualties, they can use this as a battle cry to raise more insurgents. If Texas was not given the Alamo, it will still be part of Mexico.

I'm not arguing with you, I'm questioning the logic behind the line of reasoning that images of enemy casualties cannot be published by news media but photos of dead and dying soldiers can be.

Now who is going to be believed by the people when a rebel leader says they just fled the camp and did not suffer casualties as the military claimed?

No camps for the enemy = less possibilitys to rest and retrain troops, harder to have adequate health service or keep sufficient stores of ammo, food and equipment. Harder to recruit supporters and new soldiers if you are on the run all the time. Negative psychological effects of being on the run all the time..........Do i need to continue?