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Dos Palmas kidnappings

Dos Palmas kidnappings
Part of the Moro conflict
Dos Palmas Resort, Honda Bay is located in Philippines
Dos Palmas Resort, Honda Bay
Dos Palmas Resort, Honda Bay
Dos Palmas Resort, Honda Bay (Philippines)
Location of Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan
Coordinates09°54′45″N 118°52′39″E / 9.91250°N 118.87750°E / 9.91250; 118.87750
DateMay 27, 2001 – June 7, 2002 (UTC+8)
TargetLocal and foreign tourists
Attack type
Hostage situation
WeaponsAutomatic weapons, grenades and rocket-propelled grenades
DeathsMore than 40
InjuredNumerous
VictimsGuillermo Sobero and Martin Burnham
PerpetratorsAbu Sayyaf

The Dos Palmas kidnappings was a hostage crisis in southern Philippines that began with the seizing of twenty hostages from the affluent Dos Palmas Resort on a private island in Honda Bay, Palawan, by members of Abu Sayyaf jihadist group on May 27, 2001, and resulted in the deaths of at least five of the original hostages. Three of the original hostages were American citizens, Guillermo Sobero, and a married missionary couple, Martin and Gracia Burnham.[1] At least 22 Filipino soldiers were killed in attempts to apprehend the captors and free the hostages in the 12 months following the initial hostage taking.[2] An unknown number of captors were killed by government forces.

During the crisis, the number of people taken captive varied greatly as more hostages were seized in numerous raids on the island of Basilan; therefore, the total number of people taken prisoner has been impossible to determine.[3] However, news reports suggested at least 100 hostages were taken and around 20 murdered in just over a year up until the final assault and freeing of Gracia Burnham on June 7, 2002.[3] Even some local and foreign journalists covering the high-profile kidnappings were themselves held captive for some time.[4]

  1. ^ "Hostages die in Philippine rescue bid". BBC News. June 7, 2002. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc20013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Bowden2007p54 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference gmaabusayyaf was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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