Colombian president touts killing of alleged FARC dissident leader
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella on Sunday announced the killing of a top “narco-terrorist” allegedly belonging to a rebel dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. File Photo by Mauricio Duenas Castaneda/EPA
Aug. 30 (UPI) — A notorious member of a Colombian rebel dissident group was killed by the army in a military operation, President Abelardo de la Espriella announced Sunday.
An early morning offensive against a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in the Valle de Cauca resulted in the death of a man known by the aliases of Felipe or Arcadio, the president said in a social media post.
The man was identified as the leader of a FARC dissident column allegedly responsible for multiple attacks against police stations in Dagua and El Queramal using explosives launched from drones.
De la Espriella’s statement was accompanied by a video showing a man’s body inside a white plastic bag lying on the ground next to the seized ammunition.
“In January, [Felipe] reportedly participated in an attack against an Army unit in El Danubio that left seven professional soldiers injured,” he said.
Felipe was also allegedly connected with the bombing of the busy highway between Cali and Buenaventura in April in which 20 people were killed, as well as with extortions, threats and other criminal actions in Dagua.
An M4 rifle, three magazines, 85 rounds, and a telescopic sight were seized during the operation.
De la Espriella, who was elected in June on promises of cracking down on narco-terrorist groups, issued a warning that his government is “closing the net.
“Those who attack our soldiers and police, use drones with explosives, and terrorize the population must know that we are on the offensive and we’re coming for them,” he declared. “Any bandit who does not surrender will end up in a body bag, like this wretch we took down.”