Philippine military officials say a Norwegian hostage has been freed by Abu Sayyaf militants who had beheaded two Canadian captives and freed a Filipino woman kidnapped with him in a southern marina last year. The officials say Kjartan Sekkingstad was freed Saturday afternoon in Sulu province after a year of jungle captivity and was eventually secured by troops and turned over to officials. The Canadians, Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, were beheaded after huge ransom demands were not met and the woman was freed before President Rodrigo Duterte came to power on June 30. Ridsdel and Hall were abducted last September from a seaside resort, along with Sekkingstad and Marites Flor, a Filipina national. Government forces launched a major offensive against the militants after the beheadings of the Canadians sparked condemnations from then-Philippine President Benigno Aquino III and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Source: CBC News September 17, 2016 11:18 UTC