MANILA, Philippines -- More than 300 U.S. troops and 650 Filipino soldiers started a major military exercise in the Philippines' rural northeast Monday, brushing off a threat by Marxist rebels to attack the Americans if they venture into guerrilla strongholds.

The two-week deployment of U.S. forces is part of annual military maneuvers - dubbed "Balikatan" or "shouldering the load together" - aimed at promoting the ability of U.S. and Filipino troops to work together in a potential security threat.

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