Colombian police Sunday successfully rescued all seven hostages who were kidnapped by the National Liberation Army (ELN) on Thursday.
The rescue operation was carried out by special anti-kidnapping units of Colombia’s National Police in the southern department of Nariño where the kidnapping had taken place.
Initially, Colombian President Alavro Uribe announced the rescue of two of the victims, after which a local police commander announced that all hostages had been released.
“Since they were kidnapped, we have been, as in all cases, taking every effort to rescue them,” President Alvaro Uribe said.
Since the seven people were kidnapped on a highway between Pasto and Tumaco on Thursday, anti-kidnapping units of the Colombian Army, Air Force and Police have launched operations in the region to rescue the hostages and capture the kidnappers, the president added.
Uribe recently promised to work unremittingly to rescue every hostage taken by the guerillas through the end of his term, which falls on Aug. 7.
Aside from the five hostages still being held by the ELN, at least 22 military and police personnel are in the hands of another guerilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
