Lima, June 11: All 71 gas pipeline workers, who had been kidnapped in south-eastern Peru, were rescued and were "healthy and safe", president Alejandro Toledo announced. "The workers were rescued late yesterday," Toledo said. Toledo earlier sent 300 soldiers and police to Ayacucho department, 600 kilometres southeast of Lima, in a bid to rescue the gas pipeline workers seized from a camp there.

Heavily-armed gunmen on Monday seized staff from the argentine firm Techint, which is building a gas pipeline in the region, demanding one million dollars in ransom.
Bureau Report