By Prensa Latina,
Lima : The Peruvian government tacitly admitted the possibility that the US troops to be deployed in the central region of Ayacucho fight irregular forces acting in the area.
Defense Minister Antero Flores-Araoz tried to justify that foreign troops carry assault rifles, responding to criticisms by opposition Peruvian Nationalist Party (PNP) leader Ollanta Humala, who recalled that according to the law, only Peruvian soldiers can carry such weapons within the country.
The minister told Andina news agency that the presence of armed groups in the Ayacucho region may force US soldiers to carry guns for their own protection.
The government has stated that foreign troops are coming to construct water wells and classrooms.
Humala noted that such mission does not justify American soldiers carrying guns. He pointed out that Peruvian engineers and constructors can do those works.
The entry of US troops to Peru was approved by he ruling party and conservative groups in Congress, which also accepted the entrance of military groups to Ayacucho between last May and next September.
The PNP parliamentary group has denounced that the government and most of legislative majority had passed some 30 entry permissions for US soldiers between 2007 and this year.
They fear it might be related to the possibility of creating a US military base in Peruvian territory.