Government troops successfully rescued a British and his wife in a military operation in Sulu Monday morning.

Lt. Col. Gerald Monfort, spokesman of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said troops of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion recovered British businessman Allan Hyrons and his Filipino wife Wilma from their Abu Sayyaf abductors at 8 am in Brgy. Kaha, Parangy.

It can be recalled that the Hyrons couple were taken by armed men at their Beach Resort, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur last October 4.

Monfort said the rescued couple are at the Company Post of the Special Forces Battalion in Brgy. Kanaway, Parang Sulu for debriefing and interview.

According to Major General Corleto Vinluan Jr, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, the main body of the Abu Sayyaf was forced to hide the Hyrons with minimum number of guards to avoid detection after a series of armed confrontations with the government forces.

"They (ASG) were unaware that we are monitoring and have anticipated their actions" said Vinluan.

"The abductors were driven to designated constriction area through the collective efforts of operationally controlled units of 11th Infantry Division as the concurrent integrator of AFP operations in Sulu," he said.

Vinluan said government forces "were able to close in on the Abu Sayyaf and engaged them in a 20 minute firefight."

"Overwhelmed by our forces they withdrew from the site, allowing our soldiers to rescue the couple," he said.

"Our unrelenting efforts to flush out these terrorists allowed our troops to pinpoint the location of the enemy and finally free the kidnap victims" he added. Robina Asido/DMS