International Herald Tribune

Colombian rebels call for prisoner swap

Feb 10 -- Colombia's main leftist rebel group says it hopes that its recent handover of six hostages will lead to a prisoner swap, which it accused the government of obstructing.

10 de febrero de 2009

The brief statement from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, was published Monday on the Web site of opposition Sen. Piedad Cordoba, the go-between in last week's releases.

Also Monday, six solders on a patrol in rural southwestern Colombia were killed in a grenade attack that authorities blamed on the FARC. Rebels apparently attacked the troops just after midnight as they were resting, said Cauca state security chief Sebastian Silva.

The FARC's message was delivered to Cordoba on Thursday during the release — also in Cauca state — of provincial lawmaker Sigifredo Lopez, whom the rebels had held for nearly seven years.

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