Briton and his wife rescued from jihadists
A BRITISH man and his Filipino wife have been rescued by soldiers after being kidnapped in the Philippines last month.
Allan and Wilma Hyrons escaped yesterday morning after special forces troops attacked their captors on the island of Jolo following a three-day military operation.
The couple, who lived in the town of Tukuran where they own a college, were snatched from a beach resort on Mindanao island by members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on Oct 4.
The gunmen abandoned the couple, allowing them to escape, after a 10-minute gunfight with soldiers
Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana said although the couple had been rescued, troops would continue to pursue their kidnappers.
“The two [hostages] were left behind, they [ASG bandits] could not bring them anymore, so they scampered away to different directions,” he said.
“But our hot pursuit continues, our troops are still there on the ground.”
The Philippine military said the couple were not hurt in the rescue mission and that no ransom was paid to their captors.
Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, confirmed the rescue and said Mr and Mrs Hyrons were being looked after by the Philippine authorities.
He added: “We worked closely with the government of the Philippines on Alan and Wilma’s case over the last two months. I am very grateful for their tremendous efforts. We are in particular grateful to their armed forces for their courage throughout a difficult operation which resulted in Alan and Wilma’s release.”
ASG is listed as a terrorist organisation and has links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
In recent years Philippine troops have made inroads into suppressing the militants, known for beheading their hostages in jungle hideouts.