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| Southeast Asia |
| Five more Malaysians seized by Abu Sayyaf |
| 2016-07-20 |
| [CNN] Philippine Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza on Tuesday confirmed reports that five Malaysians tugboat crew members have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf in Sabah, Malaysia. He said, "They took again five more Malaysians in Lahad Datu." The tugboat was sailing from Sandakan to Sempora when it was waylaid. The vessel was found unmanned on Saturday in Lahad Datu, a part of the waters bordering Tawi-Tawi. If the kidnapping is confirmed, there would have been at least 18 Indonesians and Malaysians seized by the Abu Sayyaf in three separate abductions since early this year. Dureza said Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari has informed officials he is willing to assist in going after the Abu Sayyaf. The Abu Sayyaf was a breakaway group from the MNLF, established by Abdurajak Janjalani in the 1990s. Dureza said, "There is an effort right now by the group of Chairman Nur Misuari. I talked with him today, he called me over the phone and he said that he'd like to do coordination with our military forces on the ground because they'd like also to help in addressing the criminal acts committed by the so-called Abu Sayyaf Group." |
| Posted by:ryuge |