Operation Jaque | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of Colombian armed conflict (1964–present) | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Colombia | FARC | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Gen. Freddy Padilla de León | Gerardo Aguilar Ramírez, aka "César" | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Colombian Army | unknown | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
4 air crew 8 commandos 2 helicopters | 60 guerrillas | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
none | 2 guerrilleros captured |
Operation Jaque (Spanish: Operación Jaque) was a Colombian military operation that resulted in the successful rescue of 15 hostages, including former Colombian presidential candidate Íngrid Betancourt. The hostages had been held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The operation took place on 2 July 2008, along the Apaporis River in the department of Guaviare.[1]
The other hostages freed were Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell, three American military contractors employed by Northrop Grumman[2] and 11 Colombian military and police.[3] Two FARC members were arrested.