Havana , Cuba ( CNN ) -- Colombia 's FARC guerrilla group has released an American hostage who spent more than four months in captivity , officials said Sunday . The leftist rebels captured Kevin Scott Sutay on June 20 , when he was backpacking through Colombia . He was released to representatives from the Red Cross , Cuba and Norway in a rural area of southeastern Colombia , then handed over to U.S. officials Sunday morning at Bogota 's airport , the governments of Cuba and Norway said in a statement . Sutay 's case drew attention from the Rev . Jesse Jackson , who pushed for his release during a trip last month to Cuba . Sutay served in the U.S. Army from November 2009 to March 2013 , including a year-long tour in Afghanistan , according to the U.S. Defense Department . He is from Willow Spring , North Carolina , and has won a number of awards , including an Army Commendation Medal and a National Defense Service Medal . The Pentagon lists his rank as private . `` The United States is profoundly grateful to the Government of Colombia and commends its tireless efforts to secure his release , '' U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement Sunday . `` We offer special thanks to President Juan Manuel Santos for his assistance . We also appreciate the contributions of the International Committee of the Red Cross , and the Governments of Norway and Cuba in securing Mr. Sutay 's freedom . '' The FARC , Latin America 's oldest guerrilla force , is currently engaged in peace talks with the Colombian government . In July , the group said it would release Sutay in a `` gesture '' to advance the talks . Norway and Cuba are helping to mediate the talks , which are taking place in Havana . The FARC , whose name in Spanish means the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , began fighting Colombia 's government in the 1960s . There have been sporadic peace talks between the rebels and the government since the 1980s . The last attempt failed in 2002 . Kidnapping government forces and civilians has been a key strategy of the rebel group . Last year , the rebels said they would release government prisoners and stop kidnapping civilians for money . The rebels did not address the fate of its civilian captives then , nor did it renounce kidnapping for political purposes . Dramatic rescues , escapes and hostage handovers have revealed harsh conditions in jungle camps , including stories of prisoners chained to trees , grueling marches between hideouts , torrential rain and blistering sun . After taking Sutay hostage , the FARC described him as a mercenary . But despite Sutay 's military background , Jackson said last month that the Army veteran had peaceful motives for visiting Colombia . `` The fact is , he is a tourist , '' Jackson said . On Sunday , an International Committee of the Red Cross doctor said Sutay was in good physical condition to travel . Officials said he would reunite with his family soon . Freed Colombian hostages carry pets tamed in the jungle . CNN 's Patrick Oppmann reported from Havana . CNN 's Catherine E. Shoichet reported from Atlanta . CNN 's Elise Labott contributed to this report .
Color : Red ##dit : Kevin Smith Sutay is in good physical condition to fight . Sutay was released and handed over to U.S. representatives in Bogota . The guerrillas captured Sutay on June 20 . His case drew attention from the Rev . Jesse Jackson , who pushed for his release .