U.S. hostages alive, more troops sent

U.S. hostages alive, more troops sent

MANILA (AFP): An American couple and 16 other hostages held by Abu Sayyaf gunmen are still alive in the jungles of Basilan island in the southern Philippines, the military said on Thursday.

Intelligence reports indicate that the rebels are holding Christian missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham and 16 Filipinos in Tuburan, a jungle-clad town in Basilan, armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan told reporters.

Adan told reporters that the hostages' health could be deteriorating in Basilan's rugged terrain, where malaria is endemic and drinking water is hard to come by.

Adan said 1,000 troops have been sent to Basilan to augment 5,000 working to rescue the captives and crush the Abu Sayyaf, a rag-tag group of self-styled Islamic fighters believed to have once received aid from international terror suspect Osama bin Laden.