KOTA KINABALU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – A Malaysian kidnap victim was in critical condition after being shot in a firefight between his Abu Sayyaf captors and the Philippine security force in Sulu late on Thursday (April 4).

The victim, identified as Jari Abdullah, 34, by the Philippines military, was shot in the head and chest and was flown to the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga for medical treatment.

Philippines media quoted Western Mindanao Command spokesman Gerry Besana as saying Mr Jari was found by the Philippine Marine Battalion Landing Team 3 at around 4.25pm, following the shootout.

“The kidnap victim tried to escape from his captors during the firefight but was shot by the Abu Sayyaf,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Bersana.

They believe that the Abu Sayyaf – a gang of self-styled Islamic militants that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and notorious for militancy and kidnappings in the southern Philippines, venturing often to waters off the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah – was led by a certain Najir Arik during the 15-minute firefight on Simusa island, Sulu.

A Philippine Huey helicopter airlifted Mr Jari at 7pm on Thursday to Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Hospital in the capital town of Jolo before he was flown to Zamboanga City.

Mr Jari and two Indonesian fishermen – Mr Hari Ardiansya, 19, and Mr Hariadin, 45 – were working for a Sandakan-based fishing company when they were kidnapped by gunmen in the Pegasus Reef around Kinabatangan-Lahad Datu in Sabah on Dec 5 last year.

Their trawler was found empty and listing along the sea borders close to the Tawi Rawi chain of islands.

A few months ago, the Abu Sayyaf made contact with Mr Jari’s wife in Sandakan, demanding that Malaysian authorities call them to discuss her husband’s freedom.

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