Quito: Ecuadoran authorities said on Saturday that they had rescued two women tourists, one from Britain and another from Australia, who were kidnapped a day earlier near the Colombian border.
Police and armed forces staff "located and rescued the two girls, Australian and English, kidnapped in Cuyabeno," Interior Minister Jose Serrano said on Twitter.
Kidnappings are common among Colombian gangs.
The women, who were not immediately identified, were abducted while visiting the Cuyabeno nature reserve in the Tarapoa region, in Sucumbios province, officials said.
They were traveling in a canoe as part of a group of seven tourists -- five foreigners and two Ecuadorans -- and two local Ecuadorans working as guides.
Australia's foreign ministry said its embassy in Chile was "working urgently with Canadian and British authorities in Ecuador to obtain more information," and officials were also in contact with the woman's family.
"Our travel advice for Ecuador recommends that Australians do not travel to the border area of Sucumbios in northeastern Ecuador bordering Colombia and Peru as there is a very high threat of violent criminal activity in this area," a foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP.
Ecuador's environment ministry had reported the assault Friday, but said nothing of a kidnapping.
It quoted local people as saying that three members of a Colombian gang of ex-paramilitary fighters known as the Black Eagles were behind the abduction.
Police and armed forces staff "located and rescued the two girls, Australian and English, kidnapped in Cuyabeno," Interior Minister Jose Serrano said on Twitter.
Kidnappings are common among Colombian gangs.
They were traveling in a canoe as part of a group of seven tourists -- five foreigners and two Ecuadorans -- and two local Ecuadorans working as guides.
Advertisement
"Our travel advice for Ecuador recommends that Australians do not travel to the border area of Sucumbios in northeastern Ecuador bordering Colombia and Peru as there is a very high threat of violent criminal activity in this area," a foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP.
Advertisement
It quoted local people as saying that three members of a Colombian gang of ex-paramilitary fighters known as the Black Eagles were behind the abduction.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
LIVE: Ex Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Meets NSA Ajit Doval At Hindon Airbase India's Big Diplomatic Dilemma After Dhaka Shift, Sheikh Hasina's Ouster What Exiled Author Taslima Nasreen Said After Sheikh Hasina Fled Bangladesh India's Big Diplomatic Dilemma After Dhaka Shift, Sheikh Hasina's Ouster Centre's All-Party Meet On Bangladesh Turmoil, S Jaishankar Briefs MPs 22-Year-Old Army Officer Crowned Miss USA After Months Of Pageant Controversy Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.