JOLO, Philippines Abu Sayyaf Muslim gunmen in the southern Philippine on Saturday freed four Europeans after a bloody shoot-out over a cash ransom dispute that nearly put the captives' lives at risk, AFP quoted officials as saying.
The rebels turned over the four to top government negotiator Roberto Aventajado's emissaries, who were earlier ambushed by an Abu Sayyaf faction unhappy over the distribution of millions of dollars in ransom payments.
The freed captives were the last Westerners among hostages seized by Abu Sayyaf forces from a Malaysian resort 140 days ago and taken to the southern Philippine Island of Jolo.
Military helicopters plucked Frenchman Stephane Loisy, Finns Seppo Fraenti and Risto Vahanen and Marc Wallert of Germany, as well as the government emissaries, from the danger area and took them to Jolo town, and then to nearby Zamboanga city.
European government representatives received the freed hostages in Zamboanga, from where they were expected to fly to the central city of Cebu.
They were to stay the weekend in Cebu before taking a flight to Tripoli en route home, officials said.
Sources said that according to an agreement struck with the Abu Sayyaf, two French journalists among the remaining hostages would be released in about two days but Libyan negotiator Rajab Azzarouq said they might encounter "problems" because of infighting among the gunmen.
The French journalists, Jean-Jacques le Garrec, 46 and Roland Madura, 49, were seized while covering the hostage crisis in July.
Aside from the journalists, the Abu Sayyaf are holding one American and 16 Filipino hostages.