Mission begins to free FARC hostages
Updated: 2007-12-29 17:02
BOGOTA -- Two Venezuela government MI-17 helicopters arrived in Colombia on Friday as part of a multinational operation to pick up three people that will be freed by Colombia's government.
 Ingrid Betancourt, French-Colombian politician kidnapped since February 2002, is seen in a video released by Colombian government in Bogota, Nov. 30, 2007. Two Venezuela government MI-17 helicopters arrived in Colombia on Friday as part of a multinational operation to pick up three people that will be freed by Colombia's government.[Xinhua] |
The helicopters, carrying Red Cross insignia, landed at the airport of Villavicencio, capital of Meta department, 77 km southeast of Colombian capital Bogota.
The Russian-made helicopters arrived at 4:47 pm local time (2147 GMT) coming from Santo Domingo air base, in the Venezuelan state of Tachira, where they had taken off at 3:30 pm local time.
Once in Villavicencio they will head for coordinates supplied by Colombia's largest rebel army, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), where they will pick up three hostages the FARC promised to free in a statement dated December 9.
The three are former legislator Consuelo Gonzalez, former vice presidential candidate Clara Rojas, and Emmanuel, Rojas's son born in captivity.
Envoys from France, Cuba, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Switzerland will be aboard the helicopters to guarantee the security of the hostages. One of them is former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner.
Colombia's high commissioner for peace, Luis Carlos Restrepo, said the choppers will remain in Villavicencio on Friday night and will fly to pick up the hostages on Saturday morning.
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