COLOMBIA: Colombian Marxist rebels have released two backpackers they kidnapped at jungle ruins more than two months ago, and promised to free four Israelis and a Briton this year.
After their release yesterday in a jungle clearing, a sunburnt Reinhilt Weigel, who is German, and Spaniard Asier Huegun boarded a Red Cross helicopter to fly to the northern Colombian city of Valledupar.
The National Liberation Army, a 5,000-strong Cuban-inspired group known by the Spanish initials ELN, still holds four Israelis and an English tourist they seized at jungle ruins on September 12th.
"They are okay," said Father Dario Echeverry, who was part of a humanitarian commission which retrieved Weigel and Huegun from the ELN.
Asked when the five would be released, Father Echeverry told reporters at Valledupar airport: "As soon as possible. It has to be before Christmas. I believe in the word of the ELN, and they say they will free them before Christmas."
Before being freed, the blonde Weigel posed in the jungle for a Reuters photographer holding an assault rifle, flanked by Marxist ELN rebels, their faces covered by red and black bandannas. A beaming Huegun also stood among the rebels.
The rebels said last week they would free Weigel and Huegun after the humanitarian commission, made up of the Church and prominent members of civil society, agreed to investigate what the ELN says is a blockade of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains by right-wing gunmen. The agreement came after talks between the government and a jailed rebel leader, mediated by the Church.
The ELN, which is now awaiting the humanitarian commission's conclusions, is still holding Englishman Mark Henderson and Israelis Benny Daniel, Ido Guy, Erez Altawil and Orpaz Ohayon.
They were last seen in a video given to Reuters in October. On the tape, Mr Henderson complained of tough living conditions and the Israelis played cards on the jungle floor and drank coffee.
On September 12th, the rebels surprised a group of about 20 foreign tourists who had hiked to the "Lost City," Indian ruins in the Sierra Nevada, and took away eight of them.