MANILA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Philippine troops on Friday rescued a Vietnamese sailor in Basilan who was captured by the Abu Sayyaf militants last November and held there for more than seven months.
The military said in a statement that troops recovered victim Hoang Vo, a crew member of MV Royal 16, around 8:30 a.m. on Friday. He was promptly given medical attention by the medical team and is currently in stable condition.
"Vo escaped from the hands of Abu Sayyaf members who dispersed due to the airstrikes and artillery fires delivered by the troops," the statement read.
The statement said Vo, 28, was from Nghe An in Vietnam, He reportedly sustained a wound in the back when recovered.
There was no immediate information of Abu Sayyaf casualty during the bombardment but government forces continued the pursuit against the fleeing bandit group.
Vo was abducted by the Abu Sayyaf on southeast of Sibago Island in Basilan on November 11, 2016, along with five other Vietnamese nationals.
The military said the bandits continued to hold 26 captives, with 21 of whom in Sulu and five in Basilan, island provinces off Mindanao in the southern Philippines.
Since this January, 83 Abu Sayyaf members were killed in the all-out military campaign against terrorism in Western Mindanao.
