British National Rescued From Abductors By Philippine Military

With a military operation described as “overwhelming”, a British national and his Filipino wife were rescued on Monday after their Oct. 4th abduction at the hands of the local terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

The couple, Allan and Wilma Hyrons, were first taken from a beach resort that they owned in Tukuran, located about 300 km (186 miles) northeast of Zamboanga. They were taken to Parang, Sulu, about 500 km from Tukuran at the extreme southern tip of the archipelago.

Major General Corleto Vinluan of the Philippines 2nd Special Forces Battalion under the 11th Infantry Division said, "Our troops were able to close in on the Abu Sayyaf Group and engaged them in a firefight. Overwhelmed by our forces they withdrew from the site, allowing our soldiers to rescue the couple."

Wesmincom Commander Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said the rescue occurred at 7:45 a.m. local time (6:45 p.m. EST, Sunday) after “three continuous incidents of clashes with the suspected kidnappers." He warned the public to be vigilant due to possible retaliation over recently intensified efforts by the Philippine military against Abu Sayyaf.

In recent weeks, six Abu Sayyaf members were killed by the Philippine military. Two of the six killed held some rank in the group. Sibih Pisih was a subgroup leader and Talha Jumsah, also called “Abu Tahla”, was an ISIS trained bomb expert and a liaison between ISIS and Abu Sayyaf. Their bodies were recovered Saturday from the site of the rescue.

Travelers visiting anywhere in the Philippines are warned about the risks of terrorism, especially if they plan to visit the southern region of Mindanao. The island group is a predominantly Muslim region that is the “home” to Abu Sayyaf, one of the smallest but strongest of the Philippine Islamist separatist groups. Other local jihadist groups like the Maute group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Ansar Khalifa Philippines have all pledged allegiance to ISIS in recent years.

The Sulu archipelago, including areas near the Sulu Sea and the Celebes Sea, are high-risk areas for kidnappings and murders of foreign nationals deemed wealthy enough for a sizable ransom. On May 31, a Dutch national was killed after being held captive for seven years. The various groups, including Abu Sayyaf, often work together to kidnap western foreign nationals.

Hyrons' Beach Resort is in the middle of this high-risk zone so it remains to be seen if Allan and Wilma will move away or continue with added security to protect themselves and foreign visitors from future attacks.