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Airstrike Kills 20 ‘Narco-Terrorists’ in Southern Colombia

Colombia
Airstrike Kills 20 ‘Narco-Terrorists’ in Southern Colombia


A new airstrike has killed 20 “narco-terrorists” in southern Colombia as part of a new operation against illegal armed groups. Credit: Colombian National Police, CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr.

A new airstrike by Colombia’s Armed Forces in the country’s south left 20 alleged members of a dissident group of the now-defunct FARC dead, according to the government of President Abelardo De la Espriella. The operation targeted a camp belonging to the Carolina Ramírez structure, one of the armed organizations linked to the group led by Nestor Gregorio Vera, alias Ivan Mordisco.

The operation began Sunday in a rural area of the department of Guaviare as part of a military action known as Operation Azarias. Authorities initially reported eight deaths but raised the figure to 20 yesterday. The government also reported the capture of five alleged members of the structure and the rescue of two minors who were in the camp.

Airstrike kills 20 ‘narco-terrorists’ in Southern Colombia

According to information provided by the government, the operation targeted a camp belonging to the Carolina Ramirez structure, one of the armed organizations operating under Ivan Mordisco’s command. It is a faction made up of former FARC members who rejected the peace agreement signed in 2016 and remained armed after the guerrilla group’s demobilization.

President De la Espriella said he personally authorized the operation and presented the outcome as a major blow to the organization’s military and logistical capabilities. Following the raid, the Armed Forces reported seizing 26 rifles, four machine guns, three pistols, 10 pieces of field equipment and 13 tactical vests.

According to the official tally, 27 members of the structure were affected by the operation: 20 were killed, five were captured and two minors were rescued by authorities.

The presence of minors — three of whom were confirmed yesterday to have been killed in another operation on August 27 — once again raises the debate over the use of airstrikes against armed groups in Colombia, particularly when there is a possibility that children and teenagers may be inside the camps being targeted.

Among those killed was, according to the government, alias Tigre or Pintado, identified as the commander of the Carolina Ramírez structure and one of Ivan Mordisco’s most trusted men.

Authorities consider his death a significant blow to the organization, both because of his position within the structure and because of the information he possessed about its operations. The government also said the target of the operation was directly linked to the location of this commander.

After the results of the airstrike became known, De la Espriella issued a warning to Mordisco and said the Armed Forces would continue pursuing the main leaders of the armed structures, as well as their financing, weapons and drug-trafficking networks.

The shift in security policy

The attack in Guaviare reflects the change in strategy that the new government has begun applying toward armed groups. De la Espriella took office with a security proposal based on a greater military offensive and has distanced himself from the “Total Peace” policy promoted by former President Gustavo Petro, which sought to negotiate with various armed organizations.

In this regard, the current president made clear moves last week to “bury” the Gustavo Petro government’s dialogue project with illegal armed groups, including the extradition of some people who held peace talks with his predecessor.

In this regard, the new government maintains that military operations are necessary to regain territorial control and confront groups involved in activities such as drug trafficking, extortion and other illegal economies.

The airstrike also comes just days after another aerial operation in Guaviare that left 10 people dead. Authorities later determined through forensic examinations that three of those killed were minors, prompting criticism from political sectors and human rights organizations.

The government, for its part, holds armed groups responsible for the recruitment of minors and argues that their presence in the camps is one of the consequences of these organizations’ activities.

With the new operation, Guaviare is emerging as one of the main fronts of the military offensive launched by the De la Espriella government against dissident groups of the now-defunct FARC. The administration has made clear that Ivan Mordisco and the main commanders of his structures are among its top targets.

Ivan Mordisco, Colombia.Ivan Mordisco, Colombia.
As was the case during the final stretch of Gustavo Petro’s administration, “Ivan Mordisco” is one of Colombia’s top military targets. Credit: @farcep_ – X.com.

Attack in Cucuta tonight leaves one dead

Meanwhile, on Monday night, the metropolitan area of Cucuta —in northeastern Colombia— was shaken by a car bombing targeting a police station. The criminal attack left one person dead and 11 injured, including two police officers and nine civilians.

The attack occurred at around 11:15 p.m., when a vehicle loaded with explosives, parked in front of the police facilities, was detonated. The explosion caused a fire at the station, destroyed several motorcycles, and damaged homes and commercial establishments in the area.

Authorities have not yet officially confirmed who ordered or carried out the attack. However, one of the main hypotheses points to the National Liberation Army (ELN), which maintains a presence in Norte de Santander and the Catatumbo region, although that attribution remains under investigation. Dissident FARC structures also operate in the region, including the 33rd Front.

The Police and the Attorney General’s Office deployed intelligence, criminal investigation, and judicial police teams to identify and capture those responsible. President Abelardo De la Espriella condemned the attack, called a Security Council meeting with the leadership of the Public Force, and announced that he would travel to Cúcuta to assess the situation.

The president warned that his government would pursue those responsible and seek to dismantle the structures behind this type of action.





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