FARC rebels free four hostages in Colombia

COLOMBIA: Colombia’s embattled FARC guerrillas on Sunday handed over four political hostages, with two more captives set to be released later this week.

The ex-hostages who had been held since 2007 were freed in apparently good health, while the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia said one rebel was killed and another reported missing after the operation to release the captives.

“It was 20 difficult months,” said policeman Juan Fernando Galicia after getting off the Brazil-provided helicopter that shipped him, two other policemen and a soldier to Villavicencio, 90 kilometers (56 miles) southeast of Bogota, around 7:00 pm (0000 GMT). The four men — part of a group of six hostages the Marxist rebels have promised to free by Wednesday — were to travel to Bogota late Sunday for medical checkups.

Soldier William Dominguez appealed for the rescue of the remaining hostages, estimated to number between 350 and 700.

“We have to fight for all of the prisoners who are still in the jungle and together, we have to rescue them. We cannot leave them behind,” said Dominguez.

The other two men released were policemen Alexis Torres and Jose Walter Lozano. They were all greeted at the airport terminal by Colombians for Peace, the group that helped broker the handover.

Villavicencio, Monday, AFP