Alleged FARC guerrillas released 18 of 20 people who were kidnapped off the coast of Tumaco, a town in the southwest in Colombia, a government official told national radio Wednesday.
According to Fabio Trujillo, the government secretary of Nariño — the department where the kidnapping took place, only two politicians who were part of the group are still held by the kidnappers.
Councilman Dagoberto Ojeda and mayoral candidate Ferney Satizabal, both from the village of Francisco Pizarro, are still held by their kidnappers, Trujillo told Caracol Radio.
The Nariño official told Caracol Radio that the kidnappers had identified themselves as guerrillas of the FARC, a guerrilla group highly active in the region.
The released kidnap victims were taken to Tumaco to receive medical attention.
Numerous illegal armed groups are active in the area around Tumaco. The coastal region, because of its mangroves and seclusion from civilization, is one of the main spots from where Colombian drugs are exported to Ecuador and Central America.