Saturday, July 19, 2008

FARC rebels kidnap five Colombian officers

BOGOTA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had kidnapped five Colombian officers, who were traveling in a boat, which had been reported as missing with 13 persons aboard in the Atrato river in the Colombian Pacific, Colombia's army said Friday.

The other eight persons aboard the boat were released by FARC, the army said.

"Among the released, six are adults and two are minors, (they) already have been transferred to the capital of Choco, Quibdo. There are army actions by air and land in order to rescue the other five persons," the army said.

Police commanders of the department of Choco General Juan Rodriguez said that the searching of the boat has been intensified since Thursday night.

Police initially presumed that the boat had sunk in the river.

The boat was reported missing Thursday when sailing from Quibdoto the municipality of Turbo, in the department of Antioquia.

FARC and another rebel group, the Army of National Liberation, as well as ultra rightwing paramilitary militias have been operating in the department of Choco

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