More than fifty soldiers were abducted by civilians in the mountains of Colombia
Kyiv • UNN
More than 50 Colombian soldiers were abducted by civilians in the mountains, a common practice in conflict regions. The Minister of Defense condemned the actions, attributing them to groups, while the President called for the release of the captives.
A platoon of Colombian army servicemen, who were conducting an operation in the Micay Canyon, were surrounded and detained by civilians. At least 200 residents captured the soldiers, who remain deprived of their freedom, according to El Pais, BBC, and AFP.
Details
The Colombian military reports that 57 soldiers were captured by civilians in the southwestern area of the Micay Canyon.
31 soldiers were captured on Saturday, and the rest on Sunday, by a group of over 200 people.
Context
Violence in Colombia is escalating. According to official information published by the Third Division of the National Army, the deprivation of liberty occurred amidst ongoing military operations since June 21 in the sector known as La Hacienda, where troops of the Rapid Deployment Force No. 4 were targeted by hostile actions during unrest.
Why they were captured, how is this possible
According to AFP, such an incident is a rather common practice in conflict-ridden regions of Colombia.
To prevent law enforcement from advancing, some illegal groups order civilians to carry out such actions.
How the Colombian authorities comment
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez, who condemned the detention of 57 soldiers, attributed the crime to "Carlos Patiño's organization from a cartel called 'Mordisco'," referring to the dissident groups operating in Cauca.
Let's explain, the "unstable" department of Cauca is located in southwestern Colombia; it includes the territory of the Micay Canyon.
A total of 57 servicemen were deprived of their freedom against their will
Reference
In Cauca, a strategically important location for drug trafficking routes due to its access to the Pacific Ocean, an archipelago of illegal armed groups operates, among which dissidents led by Ivan Mordisco, united in the so-called Central General Staff (CGS), stand out.
These structures regularly carry out attacks, even using drones with explosive devices. This is a constant threat, exacerbated by aggressive forced recruitment of minors. And all this amidst difficult-to-access geography, where two mountain ranges are separated by the Cauca River, making it difficult and costly for the state to establish a permanent presence.
President Gustavo Petro called for the release of the hostages
I ask the peasants of La Hacienda, El Tambo, Cauca to stop believing in armed individuals who obey foreigners
Recall
During an election event in Bogota, Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe was seriously wounded. He was shot in the head, and the attacker was detained.
Carlos Lehder, Pablo Escobar's criminal partner, was arrested in Colombia on drug and arms trafficking charges, but was released three days later. The court decided that his sentence had expired.