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Indonesia urges Philippines, Malaysia to boost security of waters as kidnappings surge

Xinhua, July 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Indonesian government on Monday called on the governments of the Philippines and Malaysia to step up security in their waters following the kidnapping of three Indonesian sailors by suspected Abu Sayyaf militants over weekend, an official said.

Indonesia also asked the government of the Philippines to carry out an operation to release 10 Indonesian nationals being held hostage by the militants, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said.

"This kind of incident cannot be tolerated. We ask the government of Philippines and Malaysia to work hard to secure their waters,"Minister Retno said at the foreign ministry.

"For the government of the Philippines, we ask it to take serious efforts to immediately free our citizens," she stressed.

Three Indonesian sailors were abducted by alleged Abu Sayyaf militants on Saturday in waters of Malaysia, bringing the total of Indonesian nationals kidnapped by the militants in the waters of the Philippines and Malaysia to 24 since six months ago. Fourteen of them have been released.

"These hijackings took place in the waters of Malaysia and the Philippines, meaning that their waters are unsafe,"Indonesian Military Commander General Gatot Nurmantyo said at the State Palace on Monday.

The general confirmed that Abu Sayyaf militant is the abductors and stressed that the military is ready to take actions to release the hostages should it is allowed to come into the Philippines' territory.

Last month, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizar Ryacudu met with his Philippines'counterpart Voltaire Gasmin, saying that Indonesian military is allowed to enter the Philippines territory to free hostages on the next kidnapping situation.

The weekend's incident is the fourth kidnapping of Indonesian nationals by the Abu Sayyaf militants this year, which occurs amid the government efforts to release seven Indonesian seamen who are being taken hostage by them.

On June 20, seven crews of Tugboat Charles 001 and Robby barge ship 152, were taken hostages in the Sulu Sea of the southern Philippines. The kidnappers released six out 13 people on boards, according to Indonesian foreign ministry.

The abduction occurred after the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines reached an agreement in May to conduct a joint patrol to secure the waterways along the borders of the nations. Enditem