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| Freed hostages land in Venezuela | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two women hostages freed by Colombian Farc rebels have arrived at Santo Domingo, a border town in Venezuela, on board military helicopters. | Two women hostages freed by Colombian Farc rebels have arrived at Santo Domingo, a border town in Venezuela, on board military helicopters. |
| Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez had been held for several years. | Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez had been held for several years. |
| They will now fly to an airport near Caracas where they will meet relatives and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who helped mediate their release. | |
| The rescue operation was overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). | The rescue operation was overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). |
| Ms Gonzalez, 57, was kidnapped in 2001. Ms Rojas, 44, an aide to former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, was seized in 2002, while she and Ms Betancourt were out campaigning. | Ms Gonzalez, 57, was kidnapped in 2001. Ms Rojas, 44, an aide to former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, was seized in 2002, while she and Ms Betancourt were out campaigning. |
| Ms Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen, is still in captivity. | Ms Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen, is still in captivity. |
| Mediator role | Mediator role |
| A similar attempt to rescue them was called off last month amid recriminations between the rebels and the Colombian government. | A similar attempt to rescue them was called off last month amid recriminations between the rebels and the Colombian government. |
| In December, the Farc promised to release the women and Ms Rojas's three-year-old son, believed to have been fathered by one of the rebel captors. | In December, the Farc promised to release the women and Ms Rojas's three-year-old son, believed to have been fathered by one of the rebel captors. |
| But the rebels accused the Colombian government of sabotaging the hostage release by continuing military operations in the area. | But the rebels accused the Colombian government of sabotaging the hostage release by continuing military operations in the area. |
| The government said the Farc backed out of the deal because they no longer held the young boy, who was found to be living in a foster home in Bogota. | The government said the Farc backed out of the deal because they no longer held the young boy, who was found to be living in a foster home in Bogota. |
| Thursday's operation came about after Mr Chavez announced that he had received the co-ordinates for a handover. | Thursday's operation came about after Mr Chavez announced that he had received the co-ordinates for a handover. |
| Military operations in three areas in the south-eastern state of Guaviare were suspended to allow the handover to take place. Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said his troops watched as the helicopters landed just 2km from their base. | Military operations in three areas in the south-eastern state of Guaviare were suspended to allow the handover to take place. Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said his troops watched as the helicopters landed just 2km from their base. |
| The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia says the hostages' release is a coup for Mr Chavez, who has shown he has influence with the intractable Colombian rebels. | The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia says the hostages' release is a coup for Mr Chavez, who has shown he has influence with the intractable Colombian rebels. |
| He says the Venezuelan leader can now position himself as the mediator with the best chance of securing the release of the other 43 hostages, which the guerrillas are thought to want to exchange for hundreds of rebels in prison. | He says the Venezuelan leader can now position himself as the mediator with the best chance of securing the release of the other 43 hostages, which the guerrillas are thought to want to exchange for hundreds of rebels in prison. |
| Whilst the Colombian government officially welcomes the release of the two hostages, President Alvaro Uribe will have to reassess his position as pressure mounts on him to make concessions to the Farc, our correspondent says. | Whilst the Colombian government officially welcomes the release of the two hostages, President Alvaro Uribe will have to reassess his position as pressure mounts on him to make concessions to the Farc, our correspondent says. |