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Colombia's ELN rebels 'kidnap eight' in Chocó Colombia rebels: Eight released after kidnap blamed on ELN
(about 17 hours later)
The Colombian government has accused the country's second-largest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), of kidnapping eight people in an isolated region. Eight people kidnapped in Colombia at the weekend have been released, President Juan Manuel Santos has said.
The gunmen forced the hostages into a boat and took them deep into the jungle in the western Chocó department, the army said. Mr Santos credited public pressure with forcing the kidnappers to release the seven men and one woman.
A huge rescue operation is underway. According to the army, gunmen forced the hostages into a boat on Sunday, taking them deep into the jungle in the western Chocó department.
Peace negotiations with the ELN started in February and another round of talks is due to begin in Ecuador next week. The government had accused the National Liberation Army (ELN) of being behind the kidnapping.
The government demands that the rebels stop kidnapping people, as they frequently do for financial gain. Peace negotiations with the ELN - Colombia's second largest rebel group - started in February and another round of talks is due to begin in Ecuador next week.
Details are still unclear about Sunday's incident, which happened in a rural area of the town of Nóvita, 540km (335 miles) west of the capital, Bogotá. The government demands that the rebels stop kidnapping people, as they frequently do, for financial gain.
The hostages were seven men and a woman, all of them youngsters, local media report. Details are still unclear about Sunday's incident, which happened in a rural area of the town of Novita, 540km (335 miles) west of the capital, Bogota.
The hostages are seven men and a woman, all of them youngsters, local media report.
Colombia's Defence Minister, Luis Carlos Villegas, said 500 soldiers would be deployed to the region, in addition to the 6,300 men already in the area, a statement said (in Spanish).Colombia's Defence Minister, Luis Carlos Villegas, said 500 soldiers would be deployed to the region, in addition to the 6,300 men already in the area, a statement said (in Spanish).
The country's chief negotiator, Juan Camilo Restrepo, said on Twitter that the kidnappings "hamper enormously" the negotiations with the ELN.The country's chief negotiator, Juan Camilo Restrepo, said on Twitter that the kidnappings "hamper enormously" the negotiations with the ELN.
The talks with the group follow a peace agreement between the government and Colombia's largest rebel group, the Farc, last year.The talks with the group follow a peace agreement between the government and Colombia's largest rebel group, the Farc, last year.
The ELN rebelsThe ELN rebels