A Norwegian hostage has been freed by the Philippines' Abu Sayyaf militants who had beheaded two Canadian captives and freed a Filipino woman kidnapped with him in a southern marina last year.
Philippine military officials say Kjartan Sekkingstad was freed on Saturday afternoon in Sulu province after a year of jungle captivity and was eventually secured by troops and turned over to officials.
The Canadians were beheaded after huge ransom demands were not met and the woman was freed before President Rodrigo Duterte came to power on June 30.
Government forces launched a major offensive against the militants after the beheadings of the Canadians sparked condemnations from then-Philippine president Benigno Aquino and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
