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| Colombia Farc hostages released | Colombia Farc hostages released |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Four people who had been held hostage by Colombia's left-wing Farc rebels since 2007 have been released. | Four people who had been held hostage by Colombia's left-wing Farc rebels since 2007 have been released. |
| A helicopter collected the three police officers and a soldier from a pre-arranged spot in the jungle and flew them to Villavicencio, east of Bogota. | |
| They were the first captives to be unilaterally released by the rebels in almost a year. | They were the first captives to be unilaterally released by the rebels in almost a year. |
| The Farc have suffered recent setbacks as the government drives them further into mountain and jungle areas. | The Farc have suffered recent setbacks as the government drives them further into mountain and jungle areas. |
| They have said they intend to free two politicians in the coming days. | They have said they intend to free two politicians in the coming days. |
| The four were greeted by supporters waving flowers after they landed in Villavicencio. | The four were greeted by supporters waving flowers after they landed in Villavicencio. |
| They had been among 28 "political hostages" held by the group, which wants to use them to secure the release of some of their own jailed members. | They had been among 28 "political hostages" held by the group, which wants to use them to secure the release of some of their own jailed members. |
| In jeopardy | In jeopardy |
| They group had been collected by a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Senator Piedad Cordoba, a left-wing politician who had helped broker the deal to free them. | They group had been collected by a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Senator Piedad Cordoba, a left-wing politician who had helped broker the deal to free them. |
| They had flown into the jungle of Caqueta state to a pre-arranged spot to receive the hostages. | They had flown into the jungle of Caqueta state to a pre-arranged spot to receive the hostages. |
| Jorge Botero, a journalist travelling with the mission, said earlier it had been on the verge of being aborted, a report denied by a senior government official. | Jorge Botero, a journalist travelling with the mission, said earlier it had been on the verge of being aborted, a report denied by a senior government official. |
| Mr Botero said the army, which had agreed to cease its operations in the area for a limited period to allow the handover, had put it in jeopardy by pursuing the mission's helicopter. | Mr Botero said the army, which had agreed to cease its operations in the area for a limited period to allow the handover, had put it in jeopardy by pursuing the mission's helicopter. |
| "This pursuit was ordered by military commanders," Botero told Venezuelan TV. "The operation was basically on the verge of being aborted." | "This pursuit was ordered by military commanders," Botero told Venezuelan TV. "The operation was basically on the verge of being aborted." |
| Colombian peace commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said Botero's accusations were "baseless". | Colombian peace commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said Botero's accusations were "baseless". |
| The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) said the release would be followed by that of a former lawmaker, Sigifredo Lopez, and a former governor, Alan Jara, by Wednesday. | The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) said the release would be followed by that of a former lawmaker, Sigifredo Lopez, and a former governor, Alan Jara, by Wednesday. |
| The Farc, who have been fighting the government since the 1960s, are believed to hold hundreds of hostages. | The Farc, who have been fighting the government since the 1960s, are believed to hold hundreds of hostages. |
| The BBC's Sibylla Brodzinsky in Bogota said there have been indications that the rebels may want to reopen negotiations with the government. | The BBC's Sibylla Brodzinsky in Bogota said there have been indications that the rebels may want to reopen negotiations with the government. |