13 hostages rescued in raid on Abu Sayyaf

13 hostages rescued in raid on Abu Sayyaf

KAPATAGAN, Philippines (AFP): Philippine troops rescued 13
Filipino hostages Sunday and killed several Abu Sayyaf kidnappers
in a pre-dawn raid in southern Basilan island, the military said.

Under cover of darkness, army troops attacked an Abu Sayyaf
camp at 2:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. Jakarta time) in the hinterland
village of Kapayawan on the outskirts of Basilan's capital town
of Isabela, triggering a gunbattle.

The hostages, eight of them children between eight and 12
years old, were abandoned by the fleeing rebels.

"Undetermined number of enemies were killed in the operation,"
said local army spokesman Major Alberto Gepilano.

At least two attack helicopters bombarded an area near an army
outpost in Kapatagan village near Kapawayan, where the rebels
were believed to have fled, officials said.

The freed hostages were among 35 people seized by the Abu
Sayyaf in a raid last Thursday on a predominantly Christian
village in response to President Gloria Arroyo's massive military
crackdown launched last month.

Five of the hostages were found beheaded on Friday, while five
other headless bodies were recovered on Saturday.

With their muddy feet bearing wounds and bruises from three
days of marching in Basilan's rugged terrain, the rescued
hostages openly cried as they were bundled into a military truck
to be returned to their homes.

Cecilia Ramirez, 42, went into shock when told that her
husband, Tesoro, was among the 10 men killed by the Abu Sayyaf,
who claim to be Moro militants but are dismissed by Manila as
bandits.

Hermie Revillas, 29, said she and her eight-year-old son Aris
survived the ordeal by sticking close to each other and striking
up conversations with the rebels.