Jollygoodfellow Posted June 3, 2019 Posted June 3, 2019 I could not imagine the suffering since 2012 this guy would have been through only for it to end with his death. MANILA (Reuters) — A Dutch photographer held hostage by Islamic State-linked militants in the Philippines since 2012 was killed on Friday by his captors when he tried to escape during a firefight on a remote southern island, the military said. Ewold Horn, a wildlife photographer, was shot by his guards from the Abu Sayyaf group when he tried to flee during a clash between government troops and the militants, said Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo, commander of a Joint Task Force on Sulu island. Horn and a fellow photographer, Lorenzo Vinciguerra from Switzerland, were taken captive as they were sailing off an island called Tawi Tawi on a bird-watching trip more than seven years ago and later taken to Sulu. Vinciguerra escaped in 2014. Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said the Netherlands had informed Horn’s family. “I am shocked by this terrible outcome,” Blok said, “I have been in contact with the family. I will ask my counterpart in the Philippines for further clarification.” Six militants were also killed in the firefight in the town of town of Patikul on Sulu, Pabayo said. The circumstances of the firefight were not immediately clear. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte condemned Horn’s killing and sent condolences to his family. “We vow to pursue his killers to the ends of the earth until they are brought to justice,” the president’s spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said in a statement. Also killed during the clash on Friday was Mingayan Sahiron, the wife of Radullan Sahiron, a senior leader of the Abu Sayyaf, the military said. Radullan Sahiron is on a U.S. State Department wanted list with a $1 million reward for his capture since his involvement in the kidnapping of U.S. tourists in 2001. He was believed to have escaped the clash, another military spokesman said. The Abu Sayyaf, a small but violent group in the Muslim south of the largely Catholic Philippines, has been known for extortion, kidnappings, beheadings and bombings, and has pledged allegiance to Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. It earlier pledged allegiance to the al Qaeda militant group. http://www.mvariety.com/regional-news/113131-dutch-hostage-in-philippines-killed-while-trying-to-escape-from-militants 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Berkowitz Posted June 3, 2019 Posted June 3, 2019 6 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said: Radullan Sahiron is on a U.S. State Department wanted list with a $1 million reward for his capture since his involvement in the kidnapping of U.S. tourists in 2001. Very Sad News! What I don't understand is why Western Intelligence Agencies (such as the CIA) just doesn't send some assassins out to the Phils (or wherever) to finish off 'Radullan Sahiron' ... or maybe just send in a Seal Team? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum Support Old55 Posted June 3, 2019 Forum Support Posted June 3, 2019 Mark, Philippines is a sovereign nation. For the United States to invade and attack Filipino citizens to recover a Dutch hostage is not going to happen. Especially when the president of Philippines is openly hostile to the US. The question should be why have the Filipino authority’s chosen to allow those groups to flourish? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Berkowitz Posted June 3, 2019 Posted June 3, 2019 45 minutes ago, Old55 said: The question should be why have the Filipino authority’s chosen to allow those groups to flourish? Very good question! Does anyone have any ideas as to why these groups are continually allowed to flourish (by the Phillipine government)? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jollygoodfellow Posted June 3, 2019 Author Posted June 3, 2019 1 hour ago, Mark Berkowitz said: Very good question! Does anyone have any ideas as to why these groups are continually allowed to flourish (by the Phillipine government)? They are not Very hard to eliminate. Mostly in areas that are very hard to get too. Not such an easy solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy79 Posted June 3, 2019 Posted June 3, 2019 6 hours ago, Mark Berkowitz said: Very Sad News! What I don't understand is why Western Intelligence Agencies (such as the CIA) just doesn't send some assassins out to the Phils (or wherever) to finish off 'Radullan Sahiron' ... or maybe just send in a Seal Team? I'm pretty sure there are many special forces from around the World currently in country aiding the Philippines, but with the terrain it's virtually impossible to track anything via satellite and any none local appearing in bandit country will stick out a mile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Berkowitz Posted June 3, 2019 Posted June 3, 2019 3 minutes ago, Snowy79 said: I'm pretty sure there are many special forces from around the World currently in country aiding the Philippines, but with the terrain it's virtually impossible to track anything via satellite and any none local appearing in bandit country will stick out a mile. Sounds like it's time to recruit some Filipinos into "special forces from around the World"... or has that already been tried?... and it's failed? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy79 Posted June 3, 2019 Posted June 3, 2019 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said: Sounds like it's time to recruit some Filipinos into "special forces from around the World"... or has that already been tried?... and it's failed? They have their own specialists but again they can only penetrate so far. I spent 6 months in the jungles of Belize in the mid 80s looking for drugs and ensuring there was no Guatemala forces in the area. You'd struggle to cover 3km per day through the jungle and visibility is about 20m. That's a reason the terror groups have been killing the mine workers making roads into the jungle. It was giving the military fast access. Edited June 3, 2019 by Snowy79 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimeve Posted June 5, 2019 Posted June 5, 2019 On 6/4/2019 at 7:09 AM, Mark Berkowitz said: Sounds like it's time to recruit some Filipinos into "special forces from around the World"... or has that already been tried?... and it's failed? The filipinos have their own special forces already, can't say it's failed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffH Posted June 5, 2019 Posted June 5, 2019 (edited) 57 minutes ago, jimeve said: The filipinos have their own special forces already, can't say it's failed. I wouldn't say that either, Philippines forces have trained with US troops https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/philippines-united-states-defence-troops-training-exercise-drill-11435390 And also with Australian troops https://www.smh.com.au/world/inside-operation-augury--philippines-20181205-h18r98.html And don't forget the battle of Marawi Edited June 5, 2019 by GeoffH 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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