Colombia rescues 15 hostages from left-wing insurgents
Washington, 3 July (IranVNC)—Colombia yesterday rescued 15 hostages, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans, from the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC.
By: IranVNC
Published: Thursday, July 03, 2008
16:00GMT—12:00PM/EST
COLOMBIA – HOSTAGES – RESCUED
Washington, 3 July (IranVNC)—Colombia yesterday rescued 15 hostages, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans, from the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC.
Betancourt, a former presidential candidate, was held for over six years by the left-wing insurgency group. The three US defense contractors – Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves and Thomas Howes – were held for five years.
Eleven Colombian soldiers and police were also among those rescued in the bloodless, 22-minute operation that has been praised by President Alvaro Uribe.
“It was an intelligence operation comparable with the greatest epics of human history but without a drop of blood being spilled, without one weapon being fired,” Uribe said.
The U.S., which considers the FARC a terrorist organization, yesterday released a statement congratulating Uribe and the Colombian military, on the success of the operation.
“We are delighted with the safe recovery of these Americans after more than five years of captivity,” the statement read. “We are working now to reunite them swiftly with their families in the United States.”
The U.S. also called for the FARC to “release immediately” the scores of other hostages it is still holding.
Sources: Reuters, US Department of State website
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