Colombian military rescues 27 abducted soldiers, dozens remain captive
Briefly

Colombian military rescues 27 abducted soldiers, dozens remain captive
"Colombian authorities have rescued 27 out of 72 soldiers who were held captive in the southwest of the country in an area controlled by rebel fighters and a key zone for cocaine production. In a statement on Sunday, the military noted 45 soldiers remain deprived of their liberty under the guerrilla regime. list of 3 itemsend of list The National Army maintains a presence in the area, taking steps to restore order and ensure the return of the kidnapped personnel, it added."
"The incident took place in the Micay Canyon in the Cauca Department, in an area known for coca crops and a rebel faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), known as the Central General Staff, that has been attacking military positions. According to the army, the soldiers had been taking part in a military operation when about 600 people obstructed the deployment of troops in San Juan de Micay."
"The army added that the move was intended to facilitate control of routes used for drug trafficking and illegal mining. Colombia has struggled to maintain security in some rural areas, where drug gangs and rebel groups are fighting over territory abandoned by FARC after it made peace with the government in 2016. Last year, President Gustavo Petro launched an offensive to regain control of the area, but he has encountered strong local resistance."
Seventy-two soldiers were taken captive after an operation in San Juan de Micay was blocked by roughly 600 locals. Authorities rescued 27 soldiers, leaving 45 still held by a FARC dissident faction operating in the Micay Canyon, a coca-growing and drug-trafficking corridor in Cauca. The National Army maintains presence and is attempting to restore order and recover the kidnapped personnel. The move aimed to secure routes used for drug trafficking and illegal mining. The government has struggled to secure rural territories abandoned after the 2016 peace deal, and a presidential offensive faced strong local resistance.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
[
|
]