Indonesia: three citizens returning kidnapped by armed group

(AGI) - Jakarta, Jul 11 - Indonesian sailors were back reportedly abducted by armed group in the waters between Malaysia and the Philippines. Three Indonesian citizens were abducted from their ship at midnight on Saturday (9/7). Not yet known whether the perpetrators are Abu Sayyaf?s militants, as some previous hostage cases. Abu Sayyaf is a separatist group that has pledged to ISIS in the southern Philippines. According to report of the marine police, the armed group stopped the ship containing seven sailors on a Saturday night in eastern Sabah, about 8 nautical miles from the coast. "The suspect asked their passports, three of the victims were taken to the ship, while the other four were left," said a Sabah marine police. Five gunmen spoke Malay with Suluk dialect. There has been no confirmation from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs related to the kidnapping. Currently, Indonesia is also in an attempt to free another seven citizens who was kidnapped on June 20 from the ship carrying coal in the Sulu Sea. Earlier in May, the Abu Sayyaf freed 14 citizens who they had kidnapped. Abu Sayyaf demanded a ransom in large numbers, but the Indonesian government denied the exemption involves the payment of a sum of money. (AGI) .