Rebels Free 34 Who Work at Oil Field
Colombia’s second-largest guerrilla group freed 34 Colombians working at a U.S.-run oil field, ending a three-day abduction.
The mass release came hours after the insurgents, the 5,000-strong National Liberation Army, announced that they were walking away from on-again, off-again peace negotiations with the government.
Red Cross spokesman Carlos Rios said all of those freed were being bused back to Cano Limon, where they work for companies serving Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum. He said there was no sign that ransoms had been paid.
Occidental was not available for comment. The company had said 27 people were being held hostage.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
