Colombian troops sent to search for captured colleagues

The Colombian government says it has sent four thousand troops into a southern jungle area to try to rescue eighteen soldiers being held captive by left-wing rebels.

The army chief, General Mario Hugo Galan, said the military would do whatever necessary to rescue the men.

They were captured more than a week ago Dec 21after a base was overrun by rebels thought to belong to the main guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

In June, the rebels set free sixty government soldiers after holding most of them for ten months -- but only after the government agreed to withdraw from contested territory.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service