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Ingrid Betancourt, US Hostages Freed from FARC Rebels
World | July 3, 2008, Thursday // 00:00
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French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt has been freed after six years spent in captivity. Photo by BBC
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt has been freed after six years spent in captivity by Marxist insurgency organisation FARC.
Ms Betancourt and 14 other hostages were rescued without a shot being fired after rebels holding them were tricked into handing them over, BBC reported.
Colombian soldiers, posing as aid workers, managed to rescue the hostages and then flew them to freedom in a helicopter.
When the head of the operation told the hostages that they were free, "the helicopter almost fell from the sky because we all jumped, shouted, cried and embraced", Ms Betancourt said.
Three US defence contractors and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, were freed along with Betancourt, all said to be in relatively good health.
A pale Ms Betancourt smiled as she emerged with other hostages from a military plane in the Colombian capital, Bogota, to be embraced by her mother and husband.
She appealed to the FARC to free its remaining hostages and make peace.
Established in 1964 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party, FARC is Colombia's oldest, largest, and best-equipped rebel organisation.
Ms Betancourt and 14 other hostages were rescued without a shot being fired after rebels holding them were tricked into handing them over, BBC reported.
Colombian soldiers, posing as aid workers, managed to rescue the hostages and then flew them to freedom in a helicopter.
When the head of the operation told the hostages that they were free, "the helicopter almost fell from the sky because we all jumped, shouted, cried and embraced", Ms Betancourt said.
Three US defence contractors and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, were freed along with Betancourt, all said to be in relatively good health.
A pale Ms Betancourt smiled as she emerged with other hostages from a military plane in the Colombian capital, Bogota, to be embraced by her mother and husband.
She appealed to the FARC to free its remaining hostages and make peace.
Established in 1964 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party, FARC is Colombia's oldest, largest, and best-equipped rebel organisation.
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