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Govt says hostages’ safety “top priority”
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Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (second right) and Indonesian Military commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo (right) accompany President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in a press conference after the release of Indonesian sailors from the Abu Sayyaf group's captivity in May. (Courtesy of the Presidential Office/Rusman)
T
he government has given the families of Indonesian sailors held captive in Sulu waters in the Philippines a commitment to free their loved ones, saying their safety is the government's top priority.
"What we need to assert here that it is the government's commitment to do whatever it can do to free the hostages and we’ve pointed out to the families that the safety of the hostages is our top priority," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The minister further said she had reported the current situation to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, informing him that as of now, the hostages were all in good health.
"At least until last night, the situation in the field has been very dynamic and it needs a careful approach. Once more, we want to highlight that our citizens’ safety is our top priority," Retno said.
On June 23, seven of 13 crewmen on board an Indonesian-flagged vessel were taken hostage in the Sulu Sea in the southern Philippines, while the remaining six were released. Three other Indonesian sailors were kidnapped in an earlier incident. (ebf)
