Colombia's FARC plans to release all hostages

Feb 27, 2012, 0:37 GMT

Bogota - The leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) said Sunday the group plans to release all hostages and give up kidnapping as a tool to reach its goals.

The announcement on the FARC website brought troubled Colombia closer to a peace agreement, since the government of President Juan Manuel Santos had demanded the release of all hostages and the end of armed hostilities before peace talks could begin.

Ten members of the military and the police are currently in the hands of FARC, which has held them for over 10 years.

The group had in former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt its most high-profile hostage. Betancourt, who holds dual French-Colombian citizenship, was rescued by Colombian authorities on July 2, 2008, after nearly seven years in captivity.

'We value FARC's announcement to give up kidnapping as an important and necessary step, but not a sufficient one, in the right direction,' Santos said in his Twitter account.

The rebels declined in early February to release six of their 10 remaining hostages, citing the military presence in the area where they were planning the releases. A date was not immediately set for the 10 men, whom FARC refer to as 'prisoners of war,' to be freed.

'We are very happy for them, the 10 kidnapped that are to be released, and for their families,' Santos said.

Read more about Colombia Conflict