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Freed Cuban agents given heroes' welcomes as they land back home

Thee Cuban intelligence agents have been given heroes' welcomes as they landed back in their homeland after 16 years in prison in the US.

It comes as US President Barack Obama announced his country will restore diplomatic relations it severed with Cuba more than 50 years ago.

As part of a prisoner swap under the new policy, Cuba freed American Alan Gross in exchange for the three Cubans held by the United States.

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Three Cuban agents return home after 16 years in jail

Cuba's president Raul Castro. Credit: Reuters

Three Cuban intelligence agents who had served 16 years in U.S. jails have returned to Cuba.

They were released as part of a prisoner exchange in which Cuba freed an American foreign aid worker who had served five years in a Cuban prison, President Raul Castro said.

Castro said he spoke with U.S. President Barack Obama by telephone on Tuesday ahead of the announcement that the United States would be moving to normalise relations between the two countries.

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