VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Three Indonesian citizens that have been held hostage by an armed group in the Philippines since earky in 2017 have been released, a foreign ministry official confirmed in Jakarta, on Sunday.

"It is true. They have been released. Thank God," Director for Citizen Protection Lalu Muhammad Iqbal said in a text message received by Antara.

According to AP, the three citizens - Hamdan Salim, Subandi Sattuh and Sudarlan Samansung - were released on Friday with the help of Moro National Liberation Front, a rebel group that has signed a peace agreement with the Philippine government.

They were planned to be handed over to the Indonesian embassy in Zamboanga, Iqbal said adding "we would explain the details later."

The three were seized by a militant armed group while sailing near Sabah, Malaysia, on January 2017 and were then taken to their hiding place in a forest in Sulu, South Philippines. (ant)