A Swiss birdwatcher held captive by the extremist group Abu Sayyaf in southern Philippines for more than two years escaped his captors in a daring break Saturday.

A military official said 49-year-old Lorenzo Vinciguerra made good his escape after hacking his Abu Sayyaf guard as government forces fired artillery rounds at the group's camp near the mountains of Patikul town on Sulu island.

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While fleeing, Vinciguerra was shot and wounded by the militants and was later found by Philippine Army scout rangers. "He was wounded but he's well and recovering in a hospital," Western Mindanao Command Chief Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero told the Associated Press.

Vinciguerra and fellow birdwatcher Ewold Horn, a Dutchman, were abducted by the notorious bandits in the nearby island of Tawi-Tawi in February 2012. A local report (by the Philippine Daily Inquirer) quoted a task force commander as saying that Vinciguerra yelled at Horn to come with him but that the Dutchman was "very sick and very weak".

With the escape of Vinciguerra, authorities estimate that the Abu Sayyaf still holds captive ten hostages, including Horn, a Malaysian, a Chinese national and seven Filipinos. A Muslim crime watch group claims there may be more.

Less than three weeks ago, the Abu Sayyaf released two German nationals and was hailed by the military as proof that the group had been feeling the pressure from their pursuit operations. The officials insisted that no ransom was paid for their release.

But later, on a popular social media site, a video was posted purportedly showing a stack of crisp bills that was allegedly part of the 250 million pesos given by a government emissary to the Abu Sayyaf in exchange for the Germans' freedom.     

Founded in the 1990s on the island of Basilan, the Abu Sayyaf has long been a thorn on the side of the Philippine military. It has been involved in high-profile kidnappings, including that of US missionaries Gracia and Martin Burnham, along with 18 other tourists from the Dos Palmas resort on Palawan island. Kidnap victims were snatched from as far away as Malaysia.  

Through the years, the number of Abu Sayyaf regulars has fluctuated, depending on the pickings and the military's resolve to pursue them in their hinterland redoubts. The United Stated has declared them a terrorist organization and the Islamist group has never denied its extremist affiliations, having openly declared their support for Al-Qaida and more recently, the Islamic State.