FARC, Colombian rebels, free 10 hostages

Ten hostages held by a leftist rebel group in Colombia for more than a decade were freed on Monday.

They arrived in the central city of Villavicencio, where they stepped off a helicopter and walked across the tarmac, video from CNN affiliate Caracol TV showed.

One of the former captives jumped joyfully, hoisting the Colombian flag. Others walked with the assistance of what looked to be nurses or doctors.

"We are extremely pleased with the success of the operation," said Jordi Raich, head of an International Committee of the Red Cross delegation. The hostages are headed next to Bogota, the country's capital, Caracol reported.

The leftist guerrilla group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or the FARC, had pledged to hand over the hostages. It had not previously been clear all 10 would be released at one time.

Kidnapping government forces and civilians has been a key strategy of the rebel group in its war against the Colombian government.

Dramatic rescues, escapes and hostage hand-overs have revealed harsh conditions in jungle camps, including stories of prisoners chained to trees, grueling marches between hideouts, torrential rain and blistering sun.

Two Brazilian helicopters arrived in Villavicencio earlier on Monday for the scheduled hand-over. more