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Philippine rebels claim US hostage injured, demand ransom
Muslim rebels holding U.S. and Filipino hostages in the southern Philippines said on Wednesday that a U.S. missionary captive had been injured in clashes with troops.
Muslim rebels holding U.S. and Filipino hostages in the southern Philippines said on Wednesday that a U.S. missionary captive had been injured in clashes with troops.
"Martin Burnham got hit in the back. That shot came from the soldiers," a spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas said in a call to a local radio station.
"He is now in a stable condition, nothing to worry (about)."
Spokesman Abu Sabaya said Burnham, who has been working with local cultural minorities since 1986 as a missionary for the U.S.-based New Tribes Mission, was shot during one of the Abu Sayyaf's encounters with troops over the past three days.
Military officials were not immediately available for comment.
Burnham and his wife Gracia, both from Wichita, Kansas, were among 20 people kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf from an island resort on May 27. Also taken captive were Guillermo Sobero, a tourist from Corona, California, and 17 Filipinos.
The rebels brought the hostages to Basilan, a remote mountainous island some 500 km (300 miles) southeast of the Dos Palmas resort, but have since been engaged in almost unending clashes with troops.
Basilan is 900 km (550 miles) south of Manila.
At least nine of the Filipino captives escaped in the fighting over the weekend, but the rebels took more hostages from a hospital they occupied.
Bureau Report
"He is now in a stable condition, nothing to worry (about)."
Spokesman Abu Sabaya said Burnham, who has been working with local cultural minorities since 1986 as a missionary for the U.S.-based New Tribes Mission, was shot during one of the Abu Sayyaf's encounters with troops over the past three days.
Military officials were not immediately available for comment.
Burnham and his wife Gracia, both from Wichita, Kansas, were among 20 people kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf from an island resort on May 27. Also taken captive were Guillermo Sobero, a tourist from Corona, California, and 17 Filipinos.
The rebels brought the hostages to Basilan, a remote mountainous island some 500 km (300 miles) southeast of the Dos Palmas resort, but have since been engaged in almost unending clashes with troops.
Basilan is 900 km (550 miles) south of Manila.
At least nine of the Filipino captives escaped in the fighting over the weekend, but the rebels took more hostages from a hospital they occupied.
Bureau Report