Colombia: Holdout rebels have freed hostage UN contractor

BOGOTA, Colombia – Colombia's government says a dissident faction of leftist rebels has released a United Nations contractor who was taken captive two months ago.

The Defense Ministry said Wednesday on social media that the Colombian national had notified the U.N. that he had been released.

The contractor for the U.N.'s drug agency was taken captive in southern Colombia in May by a dissident guerrillas faction opposed to a peace deal signed last year by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The incident cast a shadow over a visit by the U.N. Security Council that was intended to celebrate Colombia's efforts to end a half century of hostilities.