(CNN) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross announced Thursday that it arranged for the release Wednesday of eight civilians held for a week by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
Carlos Cuesta, left, greets family members after being released by FARC rebels on Thursday.
The handover of the eight Colombians, who were abducted July 17, occurred in a rural area of Vigia del Fuerte in the northwestern part of Colombia and "was done completely independently," said Yves Heller, a spokesman for the ICRC in Bogota.
Heller said no Colombian military were involved in the release.
"The operation took place, thanks to a confidential dialogue that the ICRC has with the FARC," he said.
Though no medical personnel were present during the release of the hostages, Heller said "their health was good enough to travel."
Heller said the Colombian military's use of the Red Cross emblem in a ruse that resulted in the release earlier in July of former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages "has not affected our operations. We continue to carry out our humanitarian mission in Colombia, obviously taking into account security operations."
He said the agency does not take part in operations involving armed personnel.
"The only protection we have is the Red Cross emblem. That's why it needs to be respected in all circumstances and at all times," he said.
Asked if any payment was involved, Heller said, "the ICRC does not get involved with payments, ransoms."
The FARC approached the ICRC and asked the group to take part in the operation, he said.
Though it is estimated to be holding more than 700 hostages in the jungles of Colombia, the group has suffered serious setbacks this year. A Colombian military raid killed the FARC's second-in-command in March. A rebel turncoat later killed a second senior commander. Also, Manuel Marulanda, FARC's founder died of an apparent heart attack in March.
Established as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party in 1964, FARC is Colombia's oldest, largest and best-equipped Marxist rebel group, according to the U.S. Department of State. 
Background: A closer look at FARC »
The United States, the European Union and Colombia classify FARC as a terrorist group.
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BACKGROUND
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