Colombia’s second largest guerrilla group, the ELN, on Tuesday released two hostages allegedly kidnapped on December 12, reported local media.
According to sources, the alleged identities of the two victims are Luis Carlos Santander and Juan Alberto Rojas, subcontracted engineers working for Occidental de Colombia [Occidental Petroleum] in the northeastern border town of Saravena in the Arauca department. The engineers were purportedly taken minutes after leaving their worksite as they headed to make a bank transaction.
El Tiempo reported that the release occurred after several days of negotiations with criminals who allegedly demanded more than $281,000.
Both engineers are supposedly recuperating at the military garrison in Saravena as they undergo medical tests.
The police commander in Arauca has reportedly offered more than $11,000 for information that leads to the apprehension of the kidnappers.