ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen snatched two Filipino-Algerian sisters yesterday morning in Patikul town, Sulu province, the military said.
Col. Jose Joriel Cenabre, commanding officer of the 2nd Marine Brigade and Task Force Sulu, identified the victims as Linda Abdel Basit and her sister Nadova, both public relation officers of the office of Sulu Sultan Bantilan Muizudin, based in Barangay Kajatian, Indanan town.
Cenabre said the victims were in a public utility jeep going to Barangay Taglibi when they were kidnapped at about 9:30 a.m. in Barangay Liang.
The gunmen were reportedly led by Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Ninok Sappari, of the urban terror group.
Cenabre said the police and Marine forces launched pursuit operations to rescue the victims.
“There has been no word yet as to the motive of the alleged kidnapping of the two victims,†he said.
Authorities alerted village leaders to be on the lookout on the whereabouts of the gunmen and their captives.
Security forces have yet to rescue three other foreigners, including Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani, Europeans Elwold Horn and Lorenzo Vinceguerre, and Filipina Crisalda Marcos-Villarasa who are believed held by a separate Abu Sayyaf group in the province.