Duterte says may deploy warship to save Filipino captives in Libya

03/08/2018

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This screen grab image taken from video released on August 1, 2018 and provided courtesy of the SITE Intelligence Group shows four hostages, one from South Korea and three from the Philippines, who are foreign employees of an engineering company in Tripoli, pictured sitting in the desert at an undisclosed location, according to SITE. Seoul said on August 2 it had deployed a warship to Libya in an apparent show of force to secure the release of a South Korean national kidnapped along with three Filipinos in the North African country. AFP

MANILA, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday he might send the navy’s most modern frigate to waters off Libya in a bid to “save” three Filipinos and a South Korean kidnapped last month from a water plant in the north African country.

South Korea has redirected a vessel taking part in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden to help in the release of the four men taken almost a month ago, according to news agency Yonhap.
Duterte said he might do the same and would raise the issue next week at a regular meeting of his top military and police commanders.

“If they start hurting those three Filipinos, I will bring a frigate there, I am not kidding,” he said in a speech.

The men were taken near Ishwirif by an unknown armed group.

Video footage appeared on social media this week of the four men confirming their names and nationalities and appealing to their presidents for help.

Various armed groups, including Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, have a presence in Libya. Risks for foreign workers have been high due to insecurity in much of the country in the years following a 2011 uprising.

This news has been read 11750 times!

03/08/2018