Colombia’s ombudswoman says 33 soldiers allegedly kidnapped under orders of a rebel group are freed

Bogota, Colombia (AP) – Thirty -three Colombian soldiers would have taken villagers acting under the orders of a rebellious group were released after three days, the Ombudwoman office announced on Thursday.

The Department of Defense of Colombia said the soldiers have been detained since Monday in the southeast province of Guaviara, following a shooting that killed 10 members of a Holdout Farc group.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Monday that the villagers holding the captive soldiers demanded the return of a rebellious body killed, which was transported to a morgue in the provincial capital. The army initially reported that 34 soldiers had been detained, but then lowered the number to 33.

Iris Marín announced the press release on his X account. His office made mediation with the community to secure liberation.

Colombia has struggled to maintain security in certain rural areas, where drug gangs and rebel groups compete for the territory abandoned by FARC, the guerrilla group that made the government in 2016.