Philippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country's south, vowing Sunday to rescue more than 30 other captives and crush the ransom-seeking extremists. The 70-year-old Kantner was seized from his yacht with his female German companion off Malaysia's Sabah state in November. About two dozen Filipino troops were wounded in clashes that also killed 16 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in efforts to rescue Kantner. On Sunday, marines killed four Abu Sayyaf militants in an assault near Sulu's Maimbung town. The Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 400 fighters, has been blacklisted by the Philippines and the United States as a terrorist organization for kidnappings, beheadings and bombings.

Source: Fox News March 05, 2017 12:11 UTC