Colombian army rescues 39 people kidnapped by guerrillas

BOGOTA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The Colombian military on Tuesday rescued 39 people who had been kidnapped earlier in the day by the country's National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group, authorities said.

The civilians were traveling on two buses when ELN members stopped the vehicles and kidnapped them at a roadblock on a highway in the northwest department of Choco, along the route linking the department with the city of Medellin.

The hostages were freed later Tuesday during a military operation in which two soldiers were killed and five others were wounded after the guerrillas detonated an explosive device, the army said.

The rescued civilians were flown by helicopter to a military base in Quibdo, the capital of Choco department.

According to local media, those rescued included four drivers employed by the Rapido Ochoa transportation company and 35 passengers.

The ELN is Colombia's last major active guerrilla group and one of the most powerful illegal armed organizations in Latin America. According to the InSight Crime Foundation, it has more than 6,000 members and has expanded its presence into neighboring Ecuador. Enditem