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| Betancourt reunited with family | Betancourt reunited with family |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Ingrid Betancourt has been reunited with her children - a day after being freed from more than six years of captivity in the Colombian jungle. | Ingrid Betancourt has been reunited with her children - a day after being freed from more than six years of captivity in the Colombian jungle. |
| The French-Colombian politician was among 15 hostages rescued without a shot being fired as their rebel captors were tricked into handing them over. | The French-Colombian politician was among 15 hostages rescued without a shot being fired as their rebel captors were tricked into handing them over. |
| Her children travelled to Bogota from France for the emotional reunion. | Her children travelled to Bogota from France for the emotional reunion. |
| Ms Betancourt said she would now work tirelessly for the freedom of all hostages being held by Farc rebels. | Ms Betancourt said she would now work tirelessly for the freedom of all hostages being held by Farc rebels. |
| "It is most important that every Colombian feels that we will free them - that our brothers in the jungle will return," she said. | "It is most important that every Colombian feels that we will free them - that our brothers in the jungle will return," she said. |
| The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which has been waging a war of independence for the past four decades, still holds more than 40 high-profile hostages, among up to 700 other captives. | The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which has been waging a war of independence for the past four decades, still holds more than 40 high-profile hostages, among up to 700 other captives. |
| 'Orgy of kisses' | |
| A day after her release, Ms Betancourt raced up the steps of the aircraft to embrace her daughter, Melanie, and her son, Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt, who had flown in from France. | A day after her release, Ms Betancourt raced up the steps of the aircraft to embrace her daughter, Melanie, and her son, Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt, who had flown in from France. |
| INGRID BETANCOURT Born on 25 December 1961Grows up in Paris1989: Returns to Colombia1994: Elected to lower house1998: Becomes a senator2002: Kidnapped by Farc rebels How the hostages were freedIn pictures: Hostages freedJoy as US hostages return homeMedia marvel at release | |
| She told reporters she was "so proud" of her children, who were 16 and 13 when she was seized. | |
| "They fought a battle, they dug deep into their characters, from the depths of their souls and fought a very beautiful battle," she said. | |
| She described the reunion as "an orgy of kisses". | |
| "I don't know what I said to them. I think I cried... I told them that they would have to put up with me because I was going to stick to them like bubblegum and I was going to eat them up with kisses." | |
| Presidential hopes | Presidential hopes |
| Earlier, Ms Betancourt had hailed Wednesday's mission to free her and 14 fellow hostages as a "perfect operation". | Earlier, Ms Betancourt had hailed Wednesday's mission to free her and 14 fellow hostages as a "perfect operation". |
| Colombian soldiers, posing as members of a non-government organisation, had flown the hostages to freedom in a helicopter. | Colombian soldiers, posing as members of a non-government organisation, had flown the hostages to freedom in a helicopter. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThis is the beginning of the end of Farc. As a Colombian citizen, I feel proud of my government and of the armed forces Pedro, Bogota, ColombiaSend us your comments | |
| When the head of the operation told them that they were free, "the helicopter almost fell from the sky because we all jumped, shouted, cried and embraced", Ms Betancourt said. | When the head of the operation told them that they were free, "the helicopter almost fell from the sky because we all jumped, shouted, cried and embraced", Ms Betancourt said. |
| Also released were three Americans and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, all said to be in relatively good health. | Also released were three Americans and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, all said to be in relatively good health. |
| The Americans - military contractors Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell - have flown back to Texas, where they are expected to be reunited with their families and undergo medical tests. | The Americans - military contractors Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell - have flown back to Texas, where they are expected to be reunited with their families and undergo medical tests. |
| Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe congratulated the army on the operation, and urged Farc to release its remaining hostages and seek peace. | Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe congratulated the army on the operation, and urged Farc to release its remaining hostages and seek peace. |
| Emerging with other hostages from a military plane in the Colombian capital, Bogota, a pale but smiling Ms Betancourt had thanked the Colombian president, whom she had been running against as a presidential candidate when she was kidnapped in a Farc-controlled area of southern Colombia in 2002. | Emerging with other hostages from a military plane in the Colombian capital, Bogota, a pale but smiling Ms Betancourt had thanked the Colombian president, whom she had been running against as a presidential candidate when she was kidnapped in a Farc-controlled area of southern Colombia in 2002. |
| "I continue to aspire to serve Colombia as president," she added. | "I continue to aspire to serve Colombia as president," she added. |
| On Friday Ms Betancourt is due to travel to France to meet President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had made ensuring her rescue a foreign policy priority. | On Friday Ms Betancourt is due to travel to France to meet President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had made ensuring her rescue a foreign policy priority. |
| Facing justice | Facing justice |
| Precise details of how the rescue operation unfolded remain sketchy, but Colombian Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said the Farc rebels had been tricked into handing over the hostages. | Precise details of how the rescue operation unfolded remain sketchy, but Colombian Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said the Farc rebels had been tricked into handing over the hostages. |
| He said that soldiers had posed as members of a fictitious non-government organisation that supposedly would fly the captives to a camp to meet rebel leader Alfonso Cano. | He said that soldiers had posed as members of a fictitious non-government organisation that supposedly would fly the captives to a camp to meet rebel leader Alfonso Cano. |
| "The helicopters, which in reality were from the army, picked up the hostages in Guaviare and flew them to freedom," he said. | "The helicopters, which in reality were from the army, picked up the hostages in Guaviare and flew them to freedom," he said. |
| The local commander in charge of the hostages, a man known as Cesar, had boarded the helicopter with another rebel. | The local commander in charge of the hostages, a man known as Cesar, had boarded the helicopter with another rebel. |
| Both had been quickly overpowered and would now face justice, he added. | Both had been quickly overpowered and would now face justice, he added. |
| CAPTIVITY TIMELINE Feb, 2002: Betancourt kidnapped by Farc rebelsFeb, 2003: US defence contractors Thomas Howes, Keith Stansell and Marc Gonsalves seized by after their plane goes down in southern ColombiaJan, 2008: Betancourt aide Clara Rojas and ex-congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez freed by FarcMarch, 2008: Colombian forces raid rebel camp in Ecuador and kill Farc commander Raul ReyesMarch, 2008: Farc leader Manuel Marulanda dies of reported heart attackJuly, 2008: Colombian military frees Ms Betancourt, the three US contractors and 11 other hostages World reactionSend us your commentsBetancourt in her own words | CAPTIVITY TIMELINE Feb, 2002: Betancourt kidnapped by Farc rebelsFeb, 2003: US defence contractors Thomas Howes, Keith Stansell and Marc Gonsalves seized by after their plane goes down in southern ColombiaJan, 2008: Betancourt aide Clara Rojas and ex-congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez freed by FarcMarch, 2008: Colombian forces raid rebel camp in Ecuador and kill Farc commander Raul ReyesMarch, 2008: Farc leader Manuel Marulanda dies of reported heart attackJuly, 2008: Colombian military frees Ms Betancourt, the three US contractors and 11 other hostages World reactionSend us your commentsBetancourt in her own words |
| The US ambassador to Colombia, William Brownfield, said there had been "close co-operation" from the Americans, including the sharing of intelligence, equipment and training advice. | The US ambassador to Colombia, William Brownfield, said there had been "close co-operation" from the Americans, including the sharing of intelligence, equipment and training advice. |
| The rescued Americans were captured after their light aircraft crashed in the Colombian jungle in 2003. | The rescued Americans were captured after their light aircraft crashed in the Colombian jungle in 2003. |
| The 11 members of the Colombian security forces who were released had been captured in various rebel attacks. | The 11 members of the Colombian security forces who were released had been captured in various rebel attacks. |
| World leaders welcomed the news, and celebrations erupted on the streets of Colombian cities as crowds hailed the jungle rescue in a country plagued for decades by kidnappings. | World leaders welcomed the news, and celebrations erupted on the streets of Colombian cities as crowds hailed the jungle rescue in a country plagued for decades by kidnappings. |
| The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Medellin says the successful operation by Colombian security forces is a political and military coup for the country's government and a major blow to the Farc. | |
What's your reaction to Ingrid Betancourt's release? Do you know her or any of the other hostages? Send us your comments using the form below. | What's your reaction to Ingrid Betancourt's release? Do you know her or any of the other hostages? Send us your comments using the form below. |