Colombian rebels release four kidnapped tourists

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Leftist Colombian rebels on Wednesday freed four local tourists kidnapped at a Pacific beach resort in January, said the International Committee of the Red Cross, which facilitated the release.

Ana Maria Aldana, Cesar Hoyos, Hernando Martinez and Jose Rodriguez were in good health when turned over in the western province of Choco, near where they were abducted almost two months ago, the Red Cross said.

Two other tourists who were kidnapped along with the four Colombians are still being held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which uses kidnapping as a tactic in its four-decade-old war against the state.

The rebel army had been in preliminary talks aimed at freeing high-profile hostages such as French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt when a top guerrilla leader was killed by Colombian forces in Ecuador over the weekend, setting off a crisis that has raised fears for regional stability.

(Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Xavier Briand)