Venezuela rescues eight soldiers kidnapped by armed groups on Colombia border

Caracas, June 1 (RHC)-- Eight Venezuelan soldiers who had been kidnapped by armed groups on the Colombian border have been rescued in a military operation, the Venezuelan Defense Ministry has announced.  The ministry said in a statement that the operation to rescue the kidnapped soldiers had taken place in the southern Apure State, on the border with Colombia, on Monday.

Medical attention was being given to the soldiers and they were all “safe and sound,” the Defense Ministry said.  It added that the Venezuelan military continued a search for twoer troops that remained missing, but did not give further details.

“We will continue to fight against organizations that want to use our sacred national territory to commit transnational crimes affecting the peace, development and stability of the country,” the statement said.  The soldiers had been kidnapped by the armed groups active in the border area on May 15th.

Caracas has said the armed groups are disguised as guerrillas but are in fact tied to the Colombian army and the 
president of the country, Ivan Duque.