ZAMBOANGA CITY: Philippine troops have rescued a Vietnamese sailor held hostage for seven months by Islamist militants in the country’s south, the military said on Saturday. Hoang Vo, 28, was rescued by troops on Friday after an air strike and artillery fire on an Abu Sayyaf camp in the island of Basilan dispersed the kidnappers, regional military spokeswoman Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay said. The Abu Sayyaf network has been kidnapping foreigners and locals for years and holding them for ransom on its remote island strongholds in the southern Philippines. The Abu Sayyaf is known to behead its hostages unless ransom payments are made. Last year, the Abu Sayyaf also beheaded two Canadian hostages.

Source: Manila Times June 17, 2017 08:26 UTC