BERNARD SHAW, CNN ANCHOR: In Sierra Leone, five British soldiers were released from captivity Thursday. British authorities are now working toward freeing six others still held hostage and are investigating how they were captured in the first place. CNN's Nic Robertson reports.</s>NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The release of the five British soldiers after nearly a week held by the West Side Boys rebel group has brought renewed hope. The other six, all senior officers on the British liaison team, could soon follow.</s>JOHN SPELLAR, BRITISH ARMED FORCES MIN.: But it does show that the patient negotiations that have been conducted are being successful, and that the talks are continuing today. And we are hopeful of getting the other six released as well.</s>ROBERTSON: Now on board a British warship, the freed five, apparently all in good health, are being debriefed. They will also be questioned about how they were captured: already the subject of acrimonious debate between the British with the U.N.'s peacekeeping chief in Sierra Leone, who says the British troops may have been outside their area of operation when picked up. Without the officers, however, British officials say they have learned little beyond what they already knew, that the team was returning from a meeting with Jordanian peacekeepers.</s>LEWIS MOONIE, BRITISH DEFENCE MINISTER: None of the officers have been released so far. We have one warrant officer, I think, and four other ranks. So we are debriefing them at present. We haven't been able to learn very much other than the fact that they seem to be in reasonable spirits and in good physical health.</s>ROBERTSON: To release the five, the West Side Boys rebel group holding them demanded and got a satellite telephone. Negotiators say it will make talking to the captors easier. (on camera): Government officials here are making the release of the remaining six soldiers a priority and say they will defer judgment on how best to achieve that goal to the U.N. and British negotiators talking with the rebels in Sierra Leone. Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
Five British Soldiers Released by West Side Boys