Colombian military frees Betancourt, three Americans and 11 Colombians

The Associated Press ,  Bogota   |  Thu, 07/03/2008 6:21 PM  |  World

Colombia said its military rescued former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three U.S.
military contractors and 11 other hostages from leftist rebels on Wednesday.

Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos says no one was hurt in the operation in eastern Colombia.

He said army commandos captured rebels manning a security ring around the hostages and got them to persuade their comrades to turn over the captives, without any loss of life.

Santos says the other 11 hostages freed were Colombian soldiers and police.

Betancourt, the Americans Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell, and the other hostages were taken to a military base.

In Paris, Betancourt's son Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt called her release after six years of captivity, "if true, he most beautiful news of my life."

There was no answer at the homes of American families of the three U.S. hostages.(**)

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