A mother and four of her children were kidnapped by unidentified armed men in the southern Philippine island of Basilan, traditionally a stronghold of Muslim extremists, police said Tuesday.
The woman, identified as Leticia Tarroza, a widow, was snatched with her four children on the outskirts of the Basilan capital of Isabela on Monday for still unknown reasons.
Police said no group has claimed responsibility but noted that it took place a day after members of the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group killed a man and fired on a group of fishermen in the province.
The Abu Sayyaf have mounted a series of kidnappings and attacks in Basilan in recent years. In March they sezied about 50 teachers, schoolchildren and civilians and later killing six of them.
The rest either escaped or were rescued in a military assault, that left scores of rebels and soldiers killed.
Another Abu Sayyaf faction seized dozens of foreign and local hostages in the nearby island of Jolo, freeing most of them reportedly only after huge ransom payments were made.
The military launched an assault against Abu Sayyaf forces in Jolo in September, rescuing two Frenchmen, three Malaysians and 12 Filipino Christian preachers. An American and a Filipino have not been recovered -- ZAMBOANGA (AFP)
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