Colombian troops raided a rural area in northwestern Colombia on Saturday and rescued President Alvaro Uribe's cousin, who was kidnapped by paramilitaries, officials said.

Germand Fenandez, a renowned rancher, was taken by force outside his estate by members of a group apparently with links to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), the officials said.

Fenandez was rescued by troops of the 4th Army Brigade in the rural area of Concordia, Antioquia state, in northwestern Colombia.

The rancher rejoined his family and appeared before the authorities to give his version of the kidnapping, the officials said.

President Uribe, who presided over a community council in Manizales, capital of the western state of Caldas, briefly made reference to the rescue, according to the officials.

Colombia's four-decade-old civil war among government troops, leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitaries claims about 3,500 lives a year, most of them civilians.

Source: Xinhua