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Jul 2, 2008 4:05 pm US/Eastern
Ingrid Betancourt, 3 Americans Freed In Colombia
Betancourt Was Kidnapped While Campaigning For The Colombian Presidency In 2002
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (CBS4) ―
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Ingrid Betancourt (r), as kidnapped Colombian presidential candidate, and running mate Clara Rojas, in captivity; Rojas was freed in January.
AP
Colombia said on Wednesday its military has rescued former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three U.S. military contractors and 11 other hostages from leftist rebels.
Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said no one was hurt in the operation in eastern Colombia.
He said army commandos captured rebels manning a security ring around the hostages and got them to persuade their comrades to turn over the captives, without any loss of life.
Santos says the other 11 hostages freed were Colombian soldiers and police.
In Paris, Betancourt's son said her release after six years of captivity is, "if true, the most beautiful news of my life.''
Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt said on France-Info radio that he was "really surprised and happy'' though he was waiting for more information about the release.
Delloye lives in France. Betancourt holds dual Colombian and French citizenship and has become a cause celebre in France. President Nicolas Sarkozy has pushed for her release.
Betancourt was kidnapped while campaigning for the Colombian presidency in 2002.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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