GENEVA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Cameroonian army has freed 12 European hostages, including seven Swiss nationals, who were kidnapped by a rebel group in the southwestern part of the country, Swiss media reported Wednesday.

The hostages were tourists heading to a local national park when they were kidnapped by "armed terrorists" and subsequently freed on Monday in a special operation by the army, the Swiss News Agency, SDA-ATS, reported.

The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed that the seven Swiss citizens had been "abducted and were subsequently freed in Cameroon".

The people affected were in good health given the circumstances and their relatives had been contacted by the Swiss embassy in Cameroon.

The abduction took place in the English-speaking Western region of Cameroon.