Big worry about YouTuber: Elliot (26) shot and abducted!

Sibucu - The US YouTuber Elliot Eastman has been kidnapped by armed men in the Philippines. There has been no trace of him for over a week.

As Philippine New Agency reports, four armed men broke into his house in Sibucu last week and pretended to be police officers.

Elliot tried to flee, but one of the attackers shot him in the left leg. He was then forcibly dragged into a speedboat, which fled south across the sea.

The police and military immediately launched a search and rescue operation for Eastman. According to the Asia News Network, the FBI also joined the search for the abducted Americans.

The city government of Sibuco has offered a reward of 150,000 Philippine pesos (around 2375 euros) for information on the whereabouts and identity of the kidnappers

So far there is no sign of him and the entire community is deeply shocked by the kidnapping.

The 26-year-old is originally from the US state of Vermont. During his trip to the Philippines, he fell in love with a local woman.

A short time later, the two married and Elliot decided to stay in Sibuco, a coastal town in the province of Zamboanga del Norte.

He converted to Islam and showed life in his adopted country on his YouTube channel.

The creator posted his last video online one day before his abduction.

According to AP News, the Islamist terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf is said to be active in the province. This is one of the most violent separatist groups in the Philippines and is known for robberies, extortion and kidnappings.

The Youtuber himself described the area in his videos as a "red zone" - because tourists never came to the region. Eastman was the only foreigner in the dangerous zone and tried to fit in. To avoid attracting attention, the American had even dyed his hair dark.

He repeatedly received threats and his wife Karisha Jala's family warned him of possible dangers.