Three Indonesian fishermen and a Norwegian citizen have been freed by the Abu Sayyaf militant group after three months in captivity in the southern Philippines province of Sulu, said Philippines police on September 18.
The Indonesian hostages and Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad were released on September 17 and handed over to Presidential Peace Process Adviser Jesus Dureza the next evening.
The militant group kidnapped the Indonesian fishermen in July this year near the border area between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Amidst a series of kidnappings carried out by Abu Sayyaf, the three countries’ agreed to intensify patrols in the area.
The Abu Sayyaf Islamic militant group was established in the 1990s. The group consists of about 400 gunmen based in the southern Philippines.
The group is believed to hold 20 local and foreign hostages captive, according to the Philippines military.
