Hanoi (VNA)𓄧 – President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte has urged the Abu Sayyafrebel group to stop pirate activities and start direct negotiations with him.

Speaking aftervisiting soldiers injured in the fight with the rebel group, Duterte said thatnegotiations can take place if Abu Sayyaf stops all the illegal actions. Earlier, thePhilippine leader affirmed that, no peaceful measures can be applied to tackleAbu Sayyaf. However, as 10,000 deployed soldiers could not handle kidnapping inthe country’s southern region, he said, adding war is not the solution. Duterte has calledfor a peace process with all rebel groups nationwide, excluding Abu Sayyaf,since he addressed the group as cruel enemy of the country given they took innocentlives for money. The Muslim Abu Sayyafgroup was established in the 90s of the previous century, with about 400 gunmenactive in the south region of the Philippines. The group is infamous forabduction for ransom, bombings and hostage executions. The group is based inJolo and Basilan and holding 22 captives at the moment, mainly foreigners. Abu Sayyaf hasbecome a major concern of the Philippines’ neighbouring countries of Malaysiaand Indonesia, as the group’s hostage list includes sailors of those countries. Earlier this year,the group executed two Canadian hostages after not receiving ransom. AlthoughAbu Sayyaf’s leaders pledged loyalty to the self-claimed Islamic State inrecent years, experts said that the group only focuses on kidnapping formoney.-VNA