Nigerian military frees 10 hostages

LAGOS, Nigeria - The Nigerian military rescued 10 hostages from militants in the southern oil region and destroyed the camp where the victims were being held, a private security official said yesterday.

The hostages freed Friday included six Filipinos among 15 kidnapped last week from an oil industry service ship amid a surge of fighting between militants and government troops, the official said.

Four Nigerians were also rescued and the camp run by militant leader Government Tompolo was destroyed, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to company prohibitions on dealings with the media.

Government officials weren't immediately available for comment on the report, and it was not clear what happened to the other Filipino hostages.

Militants said one Filipino was killed Friday in fighting that was the worst violence in months, but no other groups have confirmed the death.

The Nigerian military sent helicopter gunships and gunboats against the camp in the southern Niger Delta on Friday, after militant fighters had clashed earlier in the week with security personnel and hijacked the oil boat carrying the Filipinos.

Many militant camps from various factions dot the creeks and swamps of the Niger Delta, where the crude is pumped in Africa's biggest producer. Militants say they are fighting to force the federal government to send more oil revenues back to the southern oil region, which remains desperately poor despite six decades of oil production.

The government says the militants are mostly interested in stealing oil.