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| Kidnapped hostages released by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in company with medics arrive at Vanguardia of Villavicencio Airport, in Villavicencio, Colombia, on April 2, 2012. FARC rebels Monday handed over 10 hostages to a humanitarian delegation organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). (Xinhua) |
BOGOTA, April 2 (Xinhua)
-- Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC)rebels Monday handed
over 10 hostages to a humanitarian delegation organized by the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
"In the last hours, in a rural zone of
the border between the southern regions of Meta and Guaviare, the FARC
released four military officers and six police officers," said a ICRC
statement.
The freed hostages were taken to
Villavicencio, capital of Meta region to meet their families. The group
was the only remaining security forces members held by the guerrilla
group to swap for jailed FARC members.
ICRC Spokeswoman Cristina Rivera told
reporters that the released officers "are taken to Villavicencio in a
helicopter provided by Brazil's government, which has been properly
identified with the ICRC sign."
Villavicencio serves as the spot for the
humanitarian operation which began Monday morning when the helicopter
took off with the humanitarian delegation led by Senator and mediator
Piedad Cordoba, ICRC delegates and the Brazilian crew to meet the rebel
group in the Colombian jungle.
Rivera said a brief medical examination
indicated the released officers are in good health conditions, though
further examinations would be performed when they arrive in Bogota.
The Colombian government has deployed
two airplanes from Colombian Air Force to take the released officers
from Villavicencio to Bogota.
The released officers were kidnapped by
the FARC during 1998-1999 in attacks against army and police stations,
patrols and highway checkpoints.
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