An Indonesian fisherman who was kidnapped in Sabah – the Malaysian province in northern Borneo – has been freed in the Philippines.
Usman Yusuf, 35, was abducted with his fellow crewmen in waters off Semporna, Sabag on September 11. Armed gunmen boarded their vessel and took the men away.
At around 7.30am on Thursday (December 6), Yusuf was reportedly released by his captors, the Mindanao Examiner reported. He was found near Barangay Bual in Luuk in Sulu province and taken for questioning by troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team no-3.
The Western Mindanao Command said that six victims remain in the hands of the captors – three Filipinos and three unknown foreigners.
The released fisherman was taken to a military hospital for a medical evaluation and then taken to see the Joint Task Force’s commander in Sulu.
Abductions are not uncommon in the area where the three fishermen were originally taken. The Abu-Sayyaf militant group is reported to have orchestrated many abductions and kidnappings in the area.