ZAMBOANGA CITY – Abu Sayyafs militants allied with the Islamic State have beheaded Wednesday 2 kidnapped Vietnamese sailors in the restive province of Basilan in southern Philippines, officials said.
Army Captain Jo-ann Petinglay, a spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command, said the decapitated bodies of Hoang Thong and Hoang Va Hai were discovered in the village of Tumahubong in Sumisip town.
The sailors were kidnapped on November 11 along with four other seamen Phang Minh Tuan, Do Trung Hieu, Tran Khac Dung and Huang Vo who was released last month by the Abu Sayyaf in Sumisip town. They are all crew members of the cargo ship MV Royal 16.
The fate of the remaining Vietnamese sailors is unknown. The Abu Sayyaf is still holding over a dozen foreign captives and 6 Filipinos in the restive region. Petinglay said efforts are underway to rescue the hostages. The militant group has been demanding tens of millions of pesos in ransoms for its captives.
The Western Mindanao Command previously trumpeted the surrender of dozens of Abu Sayyaf fighters in Basilan and even provided them livelihood funds to be able to start a new life. And claimed that the numbers of the Abu Sayyaf is dwindling and their leaders on the run in the province. (Mindanao Examiner)
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