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Philippines gunmen seize students Philippines hostages 'released'
(30 minutes later)
Armed bandits have abducted dozens of students and teachers in the southern Philippines, officials say. Armed bandits have released dozens of students and teachers they held hostage for several hours in the southern Philippines, military officials say.
A military spokesman said 65 people had been seized at a school in Agusan del Sur province on Mindanao island. At least 65 people were seized at a village primary school near Prosperidad on the east coast of Mindanao island.
Police later said 18 hostages - 17 of them children and one teacher - had been freed by the gunmen, who were described as a criminal gang. Military spokesman Lt Col Romeo Brawner later told the BBC all the hostages had been freed, following a stand-off.
A BBC correspondent says there is no sign it is linked to a massacre of 57 people on Mindanao last month. A BBC correspondent says there is no sign it was linked to the killing of 57 people on Mindanao last month.
The BBC's Rachel Harvey in Bangkok says there is much lawlessness in the southern Philippines.The BBC's Rachel Harvey in Bangkok says there is much lawlessness in the southern Philippines.
Thursday's kidnappings took place in an area where communist rebels are known to operate, although it is not thought to be related to that four-decades long insurgency. 'Demands'
About 15 gunmen - described by officials as members of a criminal gang - took part in Thursday's abductions.
Lt Col Brawner told the BBC's World Today programme: "Initially they released a first group of about 18 - 17 children and one adult - and just recently they have released every hostage already."
Police chief Marco Archinue told AFP news agency the men had earlier demanded the dropping of charges against them, including murder and robbery.
The incident took place in an area where communist rebels are known to operate, although it is not thought to be related to that four-decades long insurgency.
Nor are the abductions believed to be linked to a Muslim separatist insurgency elsewhere on Mindanao; those rebels are currently in peace talks with the government.Nor are the abductions believed to be linked to a Muslim separatist insurgency elsewhere on Mindanao; those rebels are currently in peace talks with the government.
Army spokesman Maj Michelle Anayron told AFP news agency a "criminal gang" was responsible for the abductions near the town of Prosperidad on Mindanao's eastern coast. Mindanao is an extremely volatile part of the archipelago.
Agusan del Sur Vice-Governor Santiago Cane told AP news agency 19 bandits fleeing the authorities had seized the residents to use as human shields. Martial law was imposed in on other side of the island in Maguindanao province last weekend after a political massacre there left 57 people dead.
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