Philippine authorities confirmed Tuesday that 10 Indonesians were taken hostage when gunmen seized their tugboat off southern Tawi-Tawi province.

The commander of a military-led task force in the Philippines’ Muslim south told reporters that suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group boarded the vessel over the weekend, and held the crew at gunpoint while towing it with a smaller boat.

Maj. Gen. Demy Tejares of Task Force ZamBaSulTa said the abduction occurred off Tapul town of the nearby island province of Sulu -- located near the Malaysian border.

Armed Forces Philippines spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla had earlier said that authorities were verifying reports that the Taiwanese-owned tugboat -- found Sunday on the coast of Languyan Island in Tawi-Tawi -- had been raided by Abu Sayyaf members.

The military has been conducting operations against the group -- which has pledged allegiance to Daesh -- including a major offensive during the Lenten Season in Al Barka town of nearby Basilan province.

Last week, a major Abu Sayyaf camp was captured and three Abu Sayyaf militants killed in clashes that also saw seven soldiers injured, according to Tejares.

He said Tuesday that security forces are continuing intensive operations in Sulu and Basilan -- known Abu Sayyaf strongholds -- aimed at rescuing several hostages including two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman kidnapped in September.

Earlier this month, a video posted on Facebook showing the three thin, bearded and handcuffed men appealing to their governments for help, saying that if their kidnappers` demands for P1-billion ($21.3 million) ransom for each hostage are not met they will be killed April 8.

Other foreign hostages believed to be held by Abu Sayyaf-linked groups include a Dutch man abducted more than three years ago in Tawi-Tawi and a former Italian priest seized last year.

Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortion in a self-determined fight for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines.

It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.

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