Southeast Asian countries to jointly patrol piracy-prone waters

The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia will launch joint patrols in piracy-plagued waters after a series of attacks of Islamic militants to kidnap and murder foreigners.

Thursday, March 09, 2017 20:28

Southeast Asian countries to jointly patrol piracy-prone waters ảnh 1

Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (Photo: AFP)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Philippines,Malaysia and Indonesia will launch joint patrols in piracy-plagued waters aftera series of attacks of Islamic militants to kidnap and murder foreigners, saidPhilippine Secretary of Defence Delfin Lorenzana on March 9 at apress conference.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana added that heand his counterparts from Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to patrol a sea lanewhere commercial vessels could pass with protection from the three nations'navies.

The joint patrol will begin in April or May,noted the Philippine Secretary.

The Philippines will purchase equipment to helpthe fight against Abu Sayyaf militant group such as high-speed boats, dronesand radars, as part of the country’s military modernisation programme, headded.

The decision was made after Abu Sayyaf – akidnap-for-ransom network that pledges allegiance to the self-proclaimed IslamicState (IS) group, has been kidnapping sailors on fishing vessels and cargobarges.

Currently, about 31 foreign and local hostagesare held by the Abu Sayyaf. The group has been kidnapping foreigners and localsfor decades and capturing them for ransoms at its remote island posts in southernPhilippines.-VNA

VNA

#joint patrols #Abu Sayyaf #piracy-prone water

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