Dutch hostage in Philippines killed while trying to escape from militants

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Dutch hostage in Philippines killed while trying to escape from militants

 

 

MANILA (Reuters) - A Dutch photographer held hostage by Islamic State-linked militants in the Philippines since 2012 was killed on Friday by his captors when he tried to escape during a firefight on a remote southern island, the military said.

 

Ewold Horn, a wildlife photographer, was shot by his guards from the Abu Sayyaf group when he tried to flee during a clash between government troops and the militants, said Brigadier General Divino Rey Pabayo, commander of a Joint Task Force on Sulu island.

 

Horn and a fellow photographer, Lorenzo Vinciguerra from Switzerland, were taken captive as they were sailing off an island called Tawi Tawi on a bird-watching trip more than seven years ago and later taken to Sulu. Vinciguerra escaped in 2014.

 

Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said the Netherlands had informed Horn's family.

 

"I am shocked by this terrible outcome," Blok said, "I have been in contact with the family. I will ask my counterpart in the Philippines for further clarification."

 

Six militants were also killed in the firefight in the town of town of Patikul on Sulu, Pabayo said. The circumstances of the firefight were not immediately clear.

 

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte condemned Horn's killing and sent condolences to his family.

 

"We vow to pursue his killers to the ends of the earth until they are brought to justice," the president's spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said in a statement.

 

Also killed during the clash on Friday was Mingayan Sahiron, the wife of Radullan Sahiron, a senior leader of the Abu Sayyaf, the military said.

 

Radullan Sahiron is on a U.S. State Department wanted list with a $1 million reward for his capture since his involvement in the kidnapping of U.S. tourists in 2001.

 

He was believed to have escaped the clash, another military spokesman said.

 

The Abu Sayyaf, a small but violent group in the Muslim south of the largely Catholic Philippines, has been known for extortion, kidnappings, beheadings and bombings, and has pledged allegiance to Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

 

It earlier pledged allegiance to the al Qaeda militant group.

 

(Reporting by Karen Lema and Bart Meijer; Editing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-20

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[Catoni]

The “Religion of Peace” strikes again. 

    The “Peace” of the grave. 

[from the home of CC]

the boys down in their south make Thailand's group look like rookies, but I ain't complainin'

[Pique Dard]

...this is the first part. in the second, somebody will declare "...our religion has nothing to with those murderers".

[Tug]

Real pigs all religious criminals are pigs

[steven100]

scum ..... just pay the US 10 million to fly over and obliterate them ... job done.

[gunderhill]

8 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Six militants were also killed in the firefight

at  least  some  good  news  then

[brotherme]

I heard visas for long term stayers and beer are much cheaper in the Philippines.

 

What are you waiting for?

[rosst]

21 hours ago, brotherme said:

I heard visas for long term stayers and beer are much cheaper in the Philippines.

 

What are you waiting for?

Ah yes, you probably live in Pattani for it's peaceful ambience. 

A relatively ignorant comment, here in the Philippines it is not without risk but the provinces are peaceful and Visas are easy and you don't have to worry about the cops fitting you up. 

Please don't come here with your attitude. 

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.