Hostage escapes Islamist extremists

A Swiss hostage abducted two years ago made a daring dawn escape Saturday from Islamist extremists in the Philippines, the military said.

During the escape, Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 49, seized one of his captor's bladed weapons and attacked a guard and a kidnapper, said Col. Restituto Padilla, a spokesman for the Philippine military.

Vinciguerra wounded the two and fled, prompting other Abu Sayyaf rebels to shoot at him, Padilla told CNN affiliate 9TV. He suffered a minor injury on his cheek.

He fled while Philippine soldiers were conducting law enforcement operations in the area, Chester Ian Ramos, a local joint task force spokesman, told state-run Philippine News Agency.

"So the troops who were operating on the ground were able to recover him in that area of Barangay Timpook, where that incident happened, where they were operating," Padilla said.

Ramons said he escaped about 5:20 a.m. local time. He was treated at a nearby base hospital for wounds that weren't life-threatening, authorities said.

A second hostage, Dutchman Ewold Horn, 52, is still being held by the Abu Sayyaf militant group.

(CNN)

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