Filipino gangs seize 10 fishermen off Borneo: watchdogPhilippines troops secure an area where they encountered Abu Sayyaf bandits in Patikul, Sulu province, southern Philippines, on May 31, 2019 after a a long-held Dutch hostage was shot and killed by his captors. Abu Sayyaf militants are believed to have kidnapped 10 fishing boat crew members off Borneo on Tuesday. (Joint Task Force Sulu via AP file photo)KUALA LUMPUR: Filipino kidnap-for-ransom gangs raided two fishing boats and abducted 10 crew members Tuesday in waters off Borneo island, a Malaysian official and a maritime watchdog said. The Abu Sayyaf has been blacklisted by the US and Philippine governments as a terrorist organization for deadly bombings, ransom kidnappings and beheadings. Tuesday's incident followed the kidnapping of a Malaysian and two Indonesian fishermen by Abu Sayyaf gunmen off Sabah state last December.

Source: Bangkok Post June 18, 2019 07:40 UTC