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Colombian guerrilla frees two government soldiers

Xinhua, November 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Colombia reported Monday that two Colombian government soldiers held as hostage since Aug. 26 were freed by the guerrillas in eastern Colombia.

"Two soldiers that were held by the ELN (the National Liberation Army)were handed over to a humanitarian commission," an ICRC statement said.

According to the statement, the two soldiers, identified as Claider Antonio Rodriguez and Andres Felipe Perez, were handed over by some guerrilla members in a remote rural area of the department of Arauca to a humanitarian delegation formed by a local Catholic church, officials and members of the ICRC.

ICRC doctors said that both soldiers were in good condition and they would be transported to a nearby military base.

The soldiers were kidnapped on Aug. 26 while they were escorting a convoy that transported the ballots casted by an indigenous community for local elections conducted on Aug. 25.

The convoy was ambushed by ELN rebels, who killed other 12 soldiers and kidnapped two members of the Civil Registry Office and one indigenous guide who were released days after.

Rodriguez and Perez are now waiting to be transported back to Bogota for further medical examinations.

The ELN is Colombia's second largest guerrilla group, which is currently on an exploratory phase seeking peace talks with the Colombian government to end the armed conflict. Endi