Four members of the Colombian National Police are finally free, after being held hostage for nearly 12 years by Marxist rebel organization FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).
Sunday’s raid by approximately 300 troops followed a several month infiltration mission into the camp, reported El Espectador.
The first three hostages, Gen. Herlindo Luis Mendieta, Col. Enrique Murillo, and Sgt. Arbey Argote were liberated during the raid on the camp in the southern state of Guaviare.
Col. William Donato was thought dead until he was found Monday morning under a plastic tarp and dead leaves. He had escaped during the operation. No soldiers were injured in the operation.
The liberated men were flown to the capital Bogota on Monday for an emotional reunion with their families.
“Long live Colombia,” said Gen. Mendieta at a press conference where he thanked Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez and others involved in the rescue operation chameleon, also called the New Operation Jaque.
Donato and Delgado were still wearing several feet of chains from their captivity at the conference. “I want my mother to take these chains off me,” said Delgado according to a report by Colombian paper El Tiempo.
The four were reported to be in good health.
Chameleon began in March after Colombian forces captured Marcos Parrilla, part of the FARC’s 1st Front (also known as Armando Ríos Front), which held the hostages.
The raid comes just a week before Colombian presidential elections on June 20.
The raid may give a political boost to the presidential bid of former Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos who oversaw Operation Jaque in May 2008 that freed 15 hostages, including three Americans and former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. Santos already leads the polls having won 47 percent of votes in the first round of elections in May, reports the Christian Science Monitor (CMS).
FARC still holds 18 high-profile hostages, but appears to be losing power since the death of their leader and founder Pedro Antonio Marin in 2008, according to CSM.
The four police rescued this week were captured on Nov. 1, 1998, as a result of a three-day clash, during which nearly 60 police were taken hostage by FARC rebels.
Sunday’s raid by approximately 300 troops followed a several month infiltration mission into the camp, reported El Espectador.
The first three hostages, Gen. Herlindo Luis Mendieta, Col. Enrique Murillo, and Sgt. Arbey Argote were liberated during the raid on the camp in the southern state of Guaviare.
Col. William Donato was thought dead until he was found Monday morning under a plastic tarp and dead leaves. He had escaped during the operation. No soldiers were injured in the operation.
The liberated men were flown to the capital Bogota on Monday for an emotional reunion with their families.
“Long live Colombia,” said Gen. Mendieta at a press conference where he thanked Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez and others involved in the rescue operation chameleon, also called the New Operation Jaque.
Donato and Delgado were still wearing several feet of chains from their captivity at the conference. “I want my mother to take these chains off me,” said Delgado according to a report by Colombian paper El Tiempo.
The four were reported to be in good health.
Chameleon began in March after Colombian forces captured Marcos Parrilla, part of the FARC’s 1st Front (also known as Armando Ríos Front), which held the hostages.
The raid comes just a week before Colombian presidential elections on June 20.
The raid may give a political boost to the presidential bid of former Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos who oversaw Operation Jaque in May 2008 that freed 15 hostages, including three Americans and former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. Santos already leads the polls having won 47 percent of votes in the first round of elections in May, reports the Christian Science Monitor (CMS).
FARC still holds 18 high-profile hostages, but appears to be losing power since the death of their leader and founder Pedro Antonio Marin in 2008, according to CSM.
The four police rescued this week were captured on Nov. 1, 1998, as a result of a three-day clash, during which nearly 60 police were taken hostage by FARC rebels.
