21 killed in Philippines in Jordanian journalist rescue bidFebruary 4, 2013 - 19:19 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Twenty-one people have been killed in the Philippines during an apparently unsuccessful bid to rescue a Jordanian journalist kidnapped by Islamist rebels eight months ago, Philippine security officials said on Monday, February 4, according to Reuters. Members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a group of former Muslim rebels who have made peace with the government, attacked jungle bases of the Abu Sayyaf group on Jolo island to free Jordanian Baker Atyani, said Antonio Freyra, a police chief in the area. Atyani, a journalist working for the Al Arabiyah network, and his two Filipino television crew members were taken captive in June while reporting in the area. "Based on our information, the MNLF lost eight members and the Abu Sayyaf suffered 13 casualties," Freyra told reporters. "We have no information on the fate of the Jordanian journalist," he said. Atyani's two Filipino colleagues were freed on Saturday. Authorities said they could not say if ransom was paid for them. An army spokesman, Colonel Arnulfo Burgos, said the military was not involved in the rescue bid but sent troops to help evacuate residents who fled from the area and to prevent the fighting from spreading. About 60 families in the Patikul area were relocated temporarily because of the clash, he said. Jolo island in the Philippine south is a stronghold for the Abu Sayyaf rebels who are notorious for kidnappings and sometimes killing captives. The militants are also holding an Australian, one Swiss, one Dutch and one Japanese person on Jolo and nearby Basilan islands. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |