ZAMBOANGA, Philippines: Suspected Muslim extremists abducted two telecom servicemen in the southern Philippines in the latest in a rash of such kidnappings in the area, police said Thursday.

Two servicemen working for Globe Telecom, a leading cellphone company, were abducted near Tuburan town on the southern island of Basilan on Wednesday, said island police chief Senior Superintendent Salik Macapantar.

Macapantar said he suspected they were kidnapped by the same Muslim gang that seized and then freed five electricity workers on the island just weeks ago, reportedly receiving a hefty ransom as well.

"It appears that they are making kidnapping as a cottage industry and this must be stopped," Macapantar warned, without identifying the group he believed responsible.

In recent years, the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist gang with links to the Al-Qaeda terror network, carried out a string of kidnappings for ransom in the south, mainly targeting foreigners and Christians. Some of the victims, including foreigners, were killed in captivity.

Philippine troops, trained and assisted by US forces, have killed or captured many Abu Sayyaf leaders since but various armed factions have continued to engage in such kidnappings.

- AFP