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Colombia's Farc warns over General Alzate's release | Colombia's Farc warns over General Alzate's release |
(about 17 hours later) | |
Colombia's Farc rebels say they may cancel the release of a high-ranking general and other hostages because of heavy military presence in the area where they are being held. | Colombia's Farc rebels say they may cancel the release of a high-ranking general and other hostages because of heavy military presence in the area where they are being held. |
In a statement, the rebels complained of massive troop deployments in the northern province of Choco. | In a statement, the rebels complained of massive troop deployments in the northern province of Choco. |
The government suspended peace talks it had been holding with the rebels in Cuba after Gen Alzate was captured. | The government suspended peace talks it had been holding with the rebels in Cuba after Gen Alzate was captured. |
The rebels said they had been planning to free the hostages on Tuesday. | The rebels said they had been planning to free the hostages on Tuesday. |
Gen Alzate was captured along with a soldier and a female lawyer on 16 November. | |
On Saturday, President Juan Manuel Santos announced the Farc had agreed to release the hostages this week, without specifying the date. | On Saturday, President Juan Manuel Santos announced the Farc had agreed to release the hostages this week, without specifying the date. |
But the rebels have now said that the handover will not go ahead in the current circumstances. | But the rebels have now said that the handover will not go ahead in the current circumstances. |
"The area has been taken over by the army, with troop deployments, aircraft over-flights and security measures that restrict the free movement of the communities who live there," says the statement, released by the Farc peace negotiating team in Havana. | "The area has been taken over by the army, with troop deployments, aircraft over-flights and security measures that restrict the free movement of the communities who live there," says the statement, released by the Farc peace negotiating team in Havana. |
"Unless the conditions change, it will be impossible to release Gen Alzate and his companions this week." | "Unless the conditions change, it will be impossible to release Gen Alzate and his companions this week." |
Handover details: Arturo Wallace, BBC News, Bogota | Handover details: Arturo Wallace, BBC News, Bogota |
No ceasefire | No ceasefire |
Gen Alzate, along with a soldier (Corporal Jorge Rodriquez) and a female lawyer (Gloria Urrego) were seized last Sunday when they was travelling by boat along the Atrato river in an isolated jungle region in Colombia's Pacific Coast. | |
The rebels said they took the action because they were unhappy at the continuation of Colombian military activities during peace talks. | The rebels said they took the action because they were unhappy at the continuation of Colombian military activities during peace talks. |
Two more soldiers had been captured by Farc forces in Arauca a week earlier. | Two more soldiers had been captured by Farc forces in Arauca a week earlier. |
The Farc named the four hostages it planned to released this week as Ruben Alzate, Jorge Rodriguez, Cesar Rivera and Jonathan Diaz. | The Farc named the four hostages it planned to released this week as Ruben Alzate, Jorge Rodriguez, Cesar Rivera and Jonathan Diaz. |
Since the peace talks began in Cuba two years ago, the Farc has called for a ceasefire to be declared. | Since the peace talks began in Cuba two years ago, the Farc has called for a ceasefire to be declared. |
But the government has refused, saying a truce would only help the rebels rearm and regroup. | But the government has refused, saying a truce would only help the rebels rearm and regroup. |
An estimated 220,000 people have died in five decades of armed conflict in Colombia. | An estimated 220,000 people have died in five decades of armed conflict in Colombia. |
Corrected 24 November 2014: This story has been amended to reflect the fact that General Alzate was seized with one soldier and a lawyer. Earlier versions of this story referred to the general as having been captured with two soldiers. |
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