Briefings : Afghanistan, Falklands, JSF

Strict battle guidelines are said to be hampering British troops in Afghanistan. The guidelines are intended to minimise civilian casualities but the Taliban have been taking advantage of them to evade being killed or captured.

A number of commentators have been looking into the current Falklands situation.

The USAF may shift it's planned service-date for the F-35 JSF until 2015, two years later than originally planned. Boeing meanwhile says the P-8 would make the ideal baseline for replacing JSTARS.

Russia says it will deploy SS-26 Stone / Iskander-M missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave on the Baltic sea bordering Poland, if it feels there is a European threat to Moscow. Perhaps from US BMD missiles placed in Eastern Europe? The Dutch governing coalition has fallen apart over the issue of Dutch soldiers remaining in Afghanistan. The PM wanted to extend the mission but now it looks like they will be coming home in the Summer. The Philippines military is claiming they have killed the leader of the al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf in a raid on Jolo.

Philippines to go on offensive against MILF

Following the latest Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) attacks that left dozens dead the Philippines have sent extra troops into southern Philippines and have pledged "aggressive action" against the MILF. Towns in Lanao del Norte were attacked by MILF rebels said to be led by a renegrade commander yesterday and that the attacks were not sanctioned by the MILF leadership. This was dismissed by the armed forces chief General Alexander Yano saying it was their usual line.

MILF launch more attacks

28 people have been killed following attacks by MILF in the Lanao del Norte and Sarangani provinces of southern Philippines. Most of the dead were civilians an Army spokesman said. Government officials accused the rebels of atrocities against civilians saying the rebels killed them like they were chickens. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu however said the attacks were not sanctioned and were by a renegrade commander.



The Philippine Coast Guard are meanwhile providing boats to evacuate civilians from areas being attacked by MILF forces.

MILF withdraw from villages

MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) fighters have withdrawn from a number of villages in North Cotabato, Philippines. Five more villages have been cleared of MILF by the Philippines army leaving eight still in rebel hands. A Philippines police spokesman said the MILF had retreated back to bases in Maguindanao. Residents of the villages have not yet been given the all clear to return to their homes before they have been checked for land mines.

Renewed fighting between Philippines army and Muslim rebels

Fighting between the Philippines army and Muslim rebels in the country's troubled Mindanoa region. Violence flared after the courts blocked a move to expand a Muslim autonomous zone into North Cotabato which is outside of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) formed following a 1996 peace accord. The army attacked MILF rebels after they ignored a deadline to leave the province.



15 villages in Cotabato were occupied by MILF fighters but now 2 have been cleared the army said.