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Norwegian hostage released by Abu Sayyaf militants in southern Philippines

A Norwegian man held hostage by the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Islamist militant group in the southern Philippines since September previous year was freed on Saturday, Philippine officials said.

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The Philippine military insists the release of the kidnap victims was a result of the ongoing intensified military operations against the Abu Sayyaf, with the assistance of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), one of the two major Muslim rebel groups based in the south of the mainly Catholic nation.

DAVAO CITY- After nearly a year in captivity with terrorist group Abu Sayyaf, President Rodrigo Duterte received Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad on Sunday, September 18.

In a short message after the speech of the President, Sekkingstad said “it’s a handsome feeling” to be able to make it alive after a year-long captivity in the hands of the militant Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the jungles of Sulu.

Sekkingstad and Dureza then flew to the southern city of Davao to meet Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

The freed hostage stayed overnight in Misuari’s rebel camp, where he was given clothes with the rebel group’s insignia.

A radical Muslim bandit group released on Saturday a Norwegian man they took hostage nearly a year ago, a spokesman for the Philippine military said.

Along with Sekkingstad, two Canadians and a Filipina woman were also taken hostage.

Escorted by a small contingent of Jolo police on Sunday, Misuari handed him and the Indonesians over to Dureza at a meeting guarded by hundreds of Misuari’s fighters from the Moro National Liberation Front. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.

“They knew that President-elect Rody wanted badly the release of these hostages”, he said.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said he would not rule out a third party, such as Sekkingstad’s family, paying a ransom.

“I am very happy to be alive and free”, he said.

Sekkingstad was kidnapped on September 21, 2015 from a yacht club he managed on the southern side of Samal Island.

In 2013 the militants also released an Australian ex-soldier after holding him for 15 months, with a local politician who acted as a negotiator saying ransom was paid.

The BBC reports that Abu Sayyaf’s “hostages tend to be released if the ransom demanded for them is paid”.

“We are following the situation closely and are working together with Philippine authorities to bring Sekkingstad to safety”, he said. He said they were forced to carry the ASG’s belongings as the group marched through the jungles of the Southern Philippines.

Flor was released June 24, less than a week before Rodrigo Duterte officially assumed the presidency.

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Abu Sayyaf, which specializes in kidnapping foreigners and demanding ransoms, has been accused of carrying out a number of deadly attacks across the Philippines.

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