Soldier Luis Alfonso Beltran has been held hostage by FARC, Colombia's largest armed rebel group, for 13 years - the longest of any of its captives.

Following a botched rescue attempt by government forces in November that left four hostages dead, Luis' family is asking President Juan Manuel to refrain from operations that put captives' lives at risk.

Instead, they are hoping that a prisoner-swap agreement can be negotiated.

As Luis' family prepares to celebrate another Christmas without him, some good news has broken.

On December 7, after tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets to march against FARC's taking of hostages, the group agreed to release six of 11 servicemen held captive. Whether or not Luis will be among them remains to be seen.

Al Jazeera's Brian Wheeler reports.

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