FARC release kidnapped city official

An official from the Colombian border city of Arauquita has been released by the FARC guerrilla group, Caracol Radio reported on Wednesday.

Tony Efren Murillo was handed over Tuesday by the rebels to a Red Cross humanitarian commission, Arauquita Mayor Francisco Vargas said.

“This brings immense joy to all the residents of the city,” Vargas said.

Arauquita, a city of about 37,000 people in Arauca province, is located near the border with Venezuela.

The guerrilla group kidnapped Murillo on February 9 in downtown Arauquita.

The FARC, Colombia’s oldest and largest leftist guerrilla group, was founded in 1964, has an estimated 8,000 to 17,000 fighters and operates across a large swath of this Andean nation. (EFE)

Related posts

Colombia and Russia “reactivate” bilateral ties

Colombia allocates $382M to climate disaster relief

US claims it financed Colombia’s purchase of Israeli spyware