Two of three hostages to be returned home: Minister

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD. (ANTARA/Zuhdiar Laeis/aa/ac)

The case of the three Indonesians being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group has moved in a positive direction, Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD has said. "We shall wait. The development is heading in a positive direction. Two of them are ready to be returned home," Mahfud MD said in the Coordinating Ministry of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs offices in Jakarta, Monday.

The two hostages have been freed and are currently undergoing medical tests before they return to Indonesia, he said.

However, there is still one Indonesian being held hostage, he said.

"They are still holding one Indonesian hostage and they are being hunted," he said.

On Sunday, December 22, the governments of Indonesia and the Philippines rescued two out of the three Indonesians.

Three fishermen from Baubau and Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi, identified by their initials ML (48), MF (27), and SM (27) were abducted while fishing in the Lahad Datu waters of Malaysia in September 2019.

The hostage case was revealed in a video recording uploaded to Facebook, in which the abductors demanded a ransom of Rp8 billion. (INE)

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Reporter: Zuhdiar Laeis/Aria Cindyara
Editor: Azis Kurmala