Philippines sends more troops to counter militants

MANILA, Jan 19 (Reuters) The Philippines said today it was sending an extra 1,500 marines to the south to bolster an offensive against Abu Sayyaf militants, who have close ties to the regional group Jemaah Islamiah.

Since August 1, about 7,000 troops have been fighting several hundred rebels in the latest push to flush out Islamic militants on Jolo, one of Abu Sayyaf's island strongholds in the southwest o