Up to 4 Pinoy Nurses Still Missing in Libya, Feared

MANILA – Three or four Filipino nurses held hostage by the terror group Islamic State are still missing and are feared dead, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., said Monday.

Yasay revealed this in an interview with ANC’s Headstart a day after he received 8 Filipino nurses as well as a 10-month-old baby who were freed from ISIS captivity.

“But there are at least three or four others who unfortunately continue to be missing and they are feared dead,” he said.

Meanwhile, apart from the eight who arrived Sunday night, Yasay said there were two others who were able to escape ISIS captivity and went home ahead of time.

The Filipino nurses were kidnapped in Sirte in 2014 and were forced to treat wounded ISIS militants.

Yasay said there were no negotiations or any ransom paid because the Filipinos were rescued when Libyan soldiers recaptured the area from ISIS. He is thankful to the Middle Eastern country for their help in retrieving the Filipino captives.

“I would also like to take this opportunity in thanking the Libyan Embassy here and the Libyan government for that matter. Without their cooperation and immediate information conveyed to us, we would not be able to act as swiftly as possible,” he said.

(Source: ABS-CBN.com)