Zamboanga City, Philippines - Al-Qaeda-linked Muslim militants abducted seven construction workers Tuesday on a southern Philippine island, a police report said. The report said 10 Abu Sayyaf rebels swooped down on the headquarters of a construction company in Mohammad Ajul town in Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila, and seized the victims.
"The whereabouts of the victims as well as the motive remained unclear," the report said.
Earlier on Monday, one Abu Sayyaf rebel was killed in a series of clashes with government troops in the nearby towns of Tipo Tipo and Lamitan. One pro-government militiaman was wounded in the fighting.
The Abu Sayyaf is the smallest but most violent Muslim rebel group in the southern Philippines. It has been responsible for deadly terrorist attacks in the country.
