THE Armed Forces yesterday maintained American soldiers are not taking part in combat operations in Mindanao, specifically against the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf and renegade Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels.

The joint legislative oversight committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement has formed a fact-finding team to look into reports that US troops are directly involved in the campaigns.

"They are not involved in any direct combat operations although they aid us in information gathering type of efforts," said Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, chief of the AFP public affairs office.

American troops have been in Mindanao for several years principally to train Filipino soldiers defeat the Abu Sayyaf, which is in the list of foreign terrorist organizations of US. The Americans later helped in intelligence information gathering.

In some of the feats against the Abu Sayyaf, Philippine military officials even acknowledged the assistance given by the American forces particularly in information gathering.

The fact-finding team was formed last week after various sectors, some of them leaning toward the communist movement, alleged that the Americans are joining Filipino soldiers involved in the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF.

The team is going to Mindanao to check on the reports and on supposed structures put up by the Americans inside military camps, including at the headquarters of the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City.

Torres said the VFA Commission, chaired by Gen. (ret.) Edilberto Adan, found no basis for the allegations.