GENEVA — The International Red Cross said Wednesday that Colombia broke the Geneva Conventions by deliberately using the humanitarian group’s emblem during the covert military mission that freed Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages.
New video footage of the operation contradicts an earlier claim by Colombia’s government that the emblem was a last-minute addition to the daring ruse that rescued 15 hostages from the FARC rebel group last month, the Red Cross said.
Use of the Red Cross symbol in a military operation violates the first Geneva Convention because it could damage the relief group’s neutrality in conflicts, endangering medical personnel on the battlefield who are using the red cross for protection.
Colombia’s government offered renewed apologies.
