{
  "id": 4536163,
  "title": "Colombian rebels say kidnapped French Foreign Legion soldier is alive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/colombian-rebels-say-kidnapped-french-foreign-legion-soldier-is-alive",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T00:44:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/colombian-rebels-say-kidnapped-french-foreign-legion-soldier-is-alive-1.500657519"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Colombian soldier serving in the French Foreign Legion, identified as Jose Olger Melo Charry, has been kidnapped by rebels from a main splinter group of Colombia's former FARC guerrillas, according to a statement on Sunday. The Colombian Army confirmed the kidnapping on Thursday, stating that Melo Charry was taken in the department of Narino on August 6 while traveling with a woman who was subsequently released. The rebels announced on French-language media that Melo Charry is alive, in good health, and receiving proper medical care and sustenance. The French Foreign Legion, an elite unit of the French Army composed mainly of volunteers from diverse nationalities, is currently monitoring the situation. The abducted soldier, who had arrived in Colombia the day before his abduction, had belonged to the French army for four years and was on leave in his home country.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Colombian rebels say kidnapped French Foreign Legion soldier is alive",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/colombian-rebels-say-kidnapped-french-foreign-legion-soldier-is-alive",
        "published": "2026-08-30T23:36:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}