Six Colombian troopers killed in FARC dissident assault: Military | FARC Information
Lethal assault by insurgent dissidents takes place in Cauca, a southwestern area that has seen a surge in violence.
Six Colombian troopers have been killed in preventing with insurgent dissidents within the violence-plagued southwestern region of Cauca, the nation’s military stated, as the federal government seeks to finish a decades-long battle.
Colombia’s navy stated on Tuesday that the deaths occurred in a conflict with dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a left-wing insurgent group that signed a peace settlement with the federal government in 2016.
President Gustavo Petro, who’s pursuing a “whole peace” plan with the South American nation’s remaining armed teams, stated the troopers killed have been aged 18 to twenty. They confronted grenades, improvised explosive gadgets and gunfire within the assault, in response to the military.
“It was an infiltration operation” by one of many most important dissident factions, Petro stated.
Three navy personnel additionally have been killed by FARC dissidents over the weekend in the same area, the place armed teams are concerned in drug trafficking and different illicit actions.
The dissidents, who rejected the peace deal between FARC and the federal government, stated in September that they have been prepared to barter laying down their weapons.
Since Petro took office in August as Colombia’s first left-wing president, he and his aides have met with leaders of the 2 most important factions of FARC dissidents with an eye fixed to organising peace talks. The holdout fighters whole about 5,200, in response to the Indepaz suppose tank.
“Up to now, we’ve solely talked in regards to the chance [of a ceasefire], nothing extra,” Petro stated on Tuesday, following a gathering with high-ranking members of Colombia’s safety forces.
Violence has surged in Colombia in recent times, particularly in elements of the nation that lie exterior authorities management.
Citing figures from the United Nations humanitarian affairs workplace (UN-OCHA), the Norwegian Refugee Council said last month that greater than 2.6 million folks had their actions restricted up to now this yr on account of persevering with violence throughout the nation.
As a part of Petro’s peace plan, Colombia lately restarted negotiations with the Nationwide Liberation Military (ELN), the nation’s largest remaining insurgent group.
On the weekend, the president announced that the talks, held in neighbouring Venezuela, had achieved a deal to permit the Embera Indigenous folks to return to their residence territories.
Members of the group had fled violence between drug gangs, outlawed right-wing armed teams and the ELN. Many have sought shelter within the capital, Bogota, the place they organised protests to demand protection, housing and jobs.
On Wednesday, Petro’s authorities additionally will start peacemaking efforts in Buenaventura, a Pacific port metropolis, the place about 1,600 armed youths are believed to be concerned in drug trafficking.
