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FARC Blames Colombian Government for Death of 4 Hostages


Colombian honor guards carry the coffins of four members of the security forces during their funeral at Bogota's cathedral, November 29, 2011.
Colombian honor guards carry the coffins of four members of the security forces during their funeral at Bogota's cathedral, November 29, 2011.

Colombia's main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, is blaming the government for the deaths of four security force members held captive by the guerrillas for more than a decade.

A FARC statement Tuesday claims the four men were among a group of hostages the guerrillas had planned to release soon as a goodwill gesture. The FARC says the captives were instead killed during a military mission aimed at preventing the group from carrying out the release.

Colombia's government said Saturday that the FARC executed the three policemen and one soldier when the military arrived to try to free them.

A fifth hostage ran into the woods and was rescued by soldiers.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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