A Colombian rebel group says it has suspended plans to release a Briton and four Israelis being held hostage. The leftist National Liberation Army, ELN, said army operations in the Sierra Nevada mountains had put the hostages – held since September – in danger. A Spaniard and German were released two weeks ago and observers hoped the rest would be released before Christmas. Colombia has the world’s highest kidnap rate, with more than 3,000 people abducted each year. The ELN made its announcement in a communiqué to the Israeli and British governments. “The lives of your citizens have been put at risk in an irresponsible way by the army,” they said. The rebels added that they could no longer guarantee the necessary security conditions to release the foreign tourists before Christmas as planned. Full Story
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