Colombia: Two police officers released by FARC-EP
| Publisher | International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) |
| Publication Date | 15 February 2013 |
| Cite as | International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Colombia: Two police officers released by FARC-EP, 15 February 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5124cee22.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Two police officers being held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia People's Army (FARC-EP) were today released into the care of a humanitarian team made up of representatives of the ICRC and of the organization Colombianas y Colombianos por la Paz.
The handover took place in a rural area of Cauca department, in south-western Colombia.
The two police officers Cristian Camilo Yate and Víctor González were taken in ICRC vehicles to the city of Cali. An ICRC doctor who took part in the handover confirmed that they were in good health.
"We are delighted to have once again contributed to a successful release operation," said Jordi Raich, head of the ICRC delegation in Colombia. "We are always ready and willing to offer our services as a neutral intermediary in such cases."
The police officers had been held by the FARC-EP since 25 January, when they were captured between the municipalities of Florida and Pradera in Valle del Cauca department.
Since 1994, the ICRC has facilitated the release of more than 1,500 people held by different armed groups in Colombia. This was the second operation in 2013, following the release of a member of the armed forces in Catatumbo at the beginning of the year. In 2012, 36 release operations were facilitated by the ICRC.
