Bogotá.- The Colombian authorities have rescued a Dominican citizen who was kidnapped 20 days ago by unknown assailants in the department of Tolima, according to an official spokesperson.

Colonel Carlos Prada said that the man had been freed by a special anti-kidnapping unit in the rural municipality of Ambalema, after an armed confrontation with the kidnappers.

Prada told reporters that one of his men was killed in the incident, and that two of the kidnappers were captured.

Dominican citizen Eduardo Almonte said he did not know why he had been kidnapped, but that they had asked him if he was rich, and what he was doing in Colombia.

“When they seized and questioned me, they took my money and briefcase. Then they took me away and handed me over to an armed group”, said Almonte, who was vacationing in Tolima.