Editing Operation Enduring Freedom (section)

==Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines (OEF-P)==
{{Main|Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines}}

===Abu Sayyaf Group===
{{Main|Abu Sayyaf}}
The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) Al Harakat Al Islamiyya, is deemed a "foreign terrorist organization" by the United States government. Specifically, it is an [[Islamist]] separatist group based in and around the southern islands of the Republic of the Philippines, primarily [[Jolo]], [[Basilan]], and [[Mindanao]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/abu-sayyaf-group-philippines-islamist-separatists|title=Abu Sayyaf Group (Philippines, Islamist separatists)|work=Council on Foreign Relations|access-date=2018-05-21|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522041635/https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/abu-sayyaf-group-philippines-islamist-separatists|archive-date=22 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since inception in the early 1990s, the group has carried out [[bombing]]s, assassinations, [[kidnapping]]s, and [[extortion]] in their fight for an independent Islamic state in western [[Mindanao]] and the [[Sulu Archipelago]].<ref name=":0" /> Its claimed overarching goal is to create a Pan-Islamic superstate across the ''Malay'' portions of Southeast Asia, spanning, from east to west, the large island of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago (Basilan and Jolo islands), the large island of [[Borneo]] (Malaysia and Indonesia), the [[South China Sea]], and the [[Malay Peninsula]] ([[Peninsular Malaysia]], Thailand and [[Myanmar]]).

===Jemaah Islamiyah===
{{Main|Jemaah Islamiyah}}
Jemaah Islamiyah is a [[militant Islam]]ic terrorist organization dedicated to the establishment of a fundamentalist Islamic [[theocracy]] in Southeast Asia, in particular Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, the south of Thailand and the Philippines. Jemaah Islamiyah originally used peaceful means to achieve its goals, but later resorted to terrorism because of its connections with al-Qaeda.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16850706|title=Profile: Jemaah Islamiah|date=2012-02-02|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-05-21|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719135826/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16850706|archive-date=19 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Financial links between Jemaah Islamiyah and other terrorist groups, such as [[Abu Sayyaf]] and [[al-Qaeda]], have been found to exist.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbr.org/publications/analysis/pdf/vol14no5.pdf |title=Funding Terrorism in Southeast Asia: The Financial Network of Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah |publisher=Nbr.org |access-date=27 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927184541/http://www.nbr.org/publications/analysis/pdf/vol14no5.pdf |archive-date=27 September 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Jemaah Islamiyah means "Islamic Group" or "Islamic Community" and is often abbreviated JI.

Jemaah Islamiyah is thought to have killed hundreds of civilians. Also, it is suspected of carrying out the [[2002 Bali terrorist bombing|Bali car bombing]] on 12 October 2002, in which suicide bombers attacked a nightclub killing 202 people and wounding many more. Most of the casualties were Australian tourists. After this attack, the [[United States Department of State|U.S. State Department]] designated Jemaah Islamiyah as a [[U.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations|Foreign Terrorist Organization]]. Jemaah Islamiyah is also suspected of carrying out the [[Zamboanga bombings]], the [[Metro Manila]] bombings, the [[2004 Australian embassy bombing]] and the [[2005 Bali bombings|2005 Bali terrorist bombing]].

===U.S. actions===
In January 2002, 1,200 Members of [[United States Special Operations Command|United States Special Operations Command, Pacific]] (SOCPAC) were deployed to the Philippines to assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in uprooting al-Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf. The members of SOCPAC were assigned to assist in military operations against the terrorist forces as well as humanitarian operations for the island of Basilan, where most of the conflict was expected to take place.

The United States Special Forces (SF) Unit trained and equipped special forces and scout rangers of the AFP, creating the [[Light Reaction Regiment|Light Reaction Company (LRC)]]. The LRC and elements of SOCPAC deployed to Basilan on completion of their training. The stated goals of the deployment were denying the ASG sanctuary, surveiling, controlling, and denying ASG routes, surveiling supporting villages and key personnel, conducting local training to overcome AFP weaknesses and sustain AFP strengths, supporting operations by the AFP "strike force" (LRC) in the area of responsibility (AOR), conducting and supporting civil affairs operations in the AOR.<ref name="autogeneratedmil">{{cite web|first=Colonel David S |last=Maxwell |url=http://www.army.mil/professionalwriting/volumes/volume2/june_2004/6_04_3.html |title=The U.S. Army Professional Writing Collection |publisher=Army |access-date=27 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412201517/http://www.army.mil/professionalwriting/volumes/volume2/june_2004/6_04_3.html |archive-date=12 April 2010 }}</ref>

===Result===
The desired result was for the AFP to gain sufficient capability to locate and destroy the ASG, to recover hostages and to enhance the legitimacy of the Philippine government. Much of the operation was a success: the ASG was driven from Basilan and one U.S. hostage was recovered.<ref name="autogeneratedmil"/> The Abu Sayyaf Group's ranks, which once counted more than 800 members, was reduced to less than 100. The humanitarian portion of the operation, Operation Smiles, created 14 schools, 7 clinics, 3 hospitals and provided medical care to over 18,000 residents of Basilan. Humanitarian groups were able to continue their work without fear of further kidnappings and terrorists attacks by the Abu Sayyaf Group.<ref name = Smiles /><ref>{{Citation|title=Organisations |url=http://www.ict.org.il/organizations/orgdet.cfm?orgid=3 |publisher=ICT |place=Israel |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525184544/http://www.ict.org.il/organizations/orgdet.cfm?orgid=3 |archive-date=25 May 2008 }}</ref>