Four Indonesian Abu Sayyaf Hostage Victims Return To Their Families

JAKARTA - Four Indonesian citizens (WNI) victims of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group hostage returned to their families today.

This is legalized at the signing of the handover by the government and the family. Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in her speech said that the four Indonesian citizens were held hostage for 427 days or about one year and 3 months in the Philippines.

The rescue efforts to return the hostages, said Retno, were inseparable from the cooperation of the security forces trying to repatriate them.

"I would like to express my very high appreciation to all parties who have helped the liberation process, especially friends from the TNI and also from BIN", said Retno in a virtual broadcast on Monday, April 5.

Retno also appreciated the Philippine government, namely through the Western Mindanao Command which has helped cooperate in releasing hostages.

Retno congratulated the hostage victims who managed to return to their families. They are Arizal Kasta Miran (30), Arsad Bin Dahlan (41), Andi Riswanto (26) years, and Mohd Khairuldin (15).

"Congratulations to return with your family. To the mothers and fathers of the family, congratulations on gathering with these four men, who of course have been waiting for this happy moment for a long time, their release from hostage and can return with their families", said Retno.

Meanwhile, one of the family representatives, Zulimin Sima, also expressed his gratitude to those involved in the effort to repatriate the terrorist group hostages.

"I represent a family, I would like to thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and her staff. Also to the TNI men who have tried to help our families and children return home", said Zulimin.

As previously reported, Arsal, Arsad, and Andi were initially rescued by Philippine security forces on Thursday, March 18 in South Ubian, Tawi-Tawi, while KR was rescued on Sunday, March 21 on Kalupag Island.

The Indonesian hostages were separated in the middle of the sea when the ship used by the Abu Sayyaf Group to carry hostages overturned due to sea waves while avoiding the pursuit of joint operations by Philippine officials.

The Indonesian Embassy in Manila has received four Indonesian citizens who were victims of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group hostage from the Philippine government at Camp Aguinaldo since Tuesday, March 23 evening.

The Indonesian citizens were handed over by the Commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, who was accompanied by Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar of the Philippine National Police (PNP), to the Chargé d'Affaires of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Widya Rahmanto as representatives of the Indonesian government.