On 27 December, the National Liberation Army (ELN) handed over two police officers, Guillermo Calderón and Vladimir Meza García, to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a rural part of Colombia's Samaniego (Nariño) municipality. Both men had been held by the ELN since 1 December 2006.

The ICRC took part in the operation at the request of the ELN and the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace.

The ICRC welcomes the spirit of cooperation that led to the success of this operation. It reiterates its readiness to support efforts to put in place mechanisms aimed at facilitating the release of hostages and of members of the armed and police forces still deprived of their freedom in connection with the armed conflict.