The biggest military operation in the South Pacific since World War II got underway yesterday when an Australian-led international force poured into the Solomon Islands to prevent it spiraling into anarchy.

　　The near-bankrupt Solomon Islands government this month issued an appeal to its neighbors to help rein in armed militants and criminals who are extorting money, taking hostages and killing at will.

　　The contingent of 2,000 troops and 300 police from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga has a mandate to use lethal force if necessary to restore order.

　　At a ceremony in Australia for departing troops, Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase allayed fears that Pacific nations might consider the force a form of neocolonialism.

　　"It enforces Australia's leading role in the Pacific and Fiji is supportive of that role," he said.

　　A handful of local police and embassy officials greeted the first of 13 Australian C-130 transport planes at Henderson Airport outside the capital, Honiara, just after dawn at the start of "Operation Helpem Fren" - pidgin English for Help A Friend.

　　The australian navy ship HMAS Manoora docked off the coast and barges shuttled equipment and troops ashore. As more troops arrived, hundreds of curious locals turned out to watch.

　　"We are very happy, this is good, this is marvelous for my country," said Misheko Maetano as he watched troops arrive at the airport.

　　The parliament of the Solomon Islands unanimously supported the deployment of the foreign troops and police to fight militant gangs and quell a drawn-out conflict among rival islanders that has left hundreds dead.

　　Some rebels have been armed with high-powered rifles stolen from police armories. Others have fought in loin cloths using homemade guns or weapons dug up from World War II arms dumps.