Military Officials Lured in Cauca
The Colombian Army reported on Sunday that 45 military personnel were drawn into known drug trafficking areas in Cauca province. This incident involved over 600 individuals linked with the country’s Marxist insurgent group, FARC.
According to a statement from the Army, these officials were lured to conduct military operations at Mikui Canyon, a river in the western Coca region that empties into the Pacific Ocean.
The operation aimed to secure routes used for drug trafficking and illegal mining close to the municipality of Eltambo. Reports detail Mikui Canyon as a crucial corridor for managing illegal crops and monitoring drug shipments heading north. International news sources have noted that semi-submarines transporting cocaine often set sail from this region toward Central American coasts.
It appears that the individuals affected were part of a larger group of 72 military members, which included three officers, four non-commissioned officers, and 65 soldiers. They were reportedly intercepted by the “Carlos Patigno” front, a faction of FARC, led by Nester Gregorio Bella Fernández, known as “Ivan Mordisco.”
The Army’s statement highlighted that they will pursue legal action to clarify the situation. They also encouraged the community to help identify those responsible for this incident and support legal processes against them.
President Gustavo Petro, in a brief social media update, called on the farmers of Meekai to “peacefully begin crop replacements” and urged for the soldiers’ release. Petro expressed the urgency of understanding the human dimension, stating, “These could be your children—Colombian children must look out for each other.” He emphasized that a dialogue committee is ready for discussions.
Carlos Edward Osorio, a Colombian MP from the Conservative Center for Democracy, shared footage allegedly from the event, claiming that FARC will hinder military actions by enlisting civilians who operate as accomplices of drug traffickers.
Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the incident via social media, reiterating that the military officials had been attracted by approximately 600 individuals suspected of collaborating with FARC’s “Ivan Mordisco.” He called it a serious crime and highlighted the international implications of such threats to security forces protecting Colombia.
The military operation on Sunday, which led to the luring of officials, followed a recent security initiative involving 300 soldiers and police officers aimed at countering the actions of FARC’s “Carlos Patigno” front in Eltambo.
In recent weeks, factions led by Mordisco have executed a number of deadly attacks in Cauca and the adjacent Valle Del Cauca regions. A publication noted that Carlos Patigno is among the most influential branches of FARC led by Mordisco.
Last week, an explosive was dropped by a FARC drone on a police station in Elbold, injuring three officers. That station had already been targeted earlier. This incident was just one of a series of bomb attacks across Cauca and Valle Del Cauca, which resulted in significant casualties.
In late August, FARC detonated a vehicle with explosives near a military base, resulting in injuries to numerous individuals. On the same day, FARC units attacked a police helicopter, leading to fatalities among the officers on board.
FARC, which has roots as a Marxist insurgency from the 1960s, signed a peace deal in 2016 with then-President Juan Manuel Santos, claiming a shift toward peaceful engagement. This agreement provided benefits, including legal amnesty and secure political positions. However, FARC persists in narcoterrorism and continues to carry out attacks within Colombia, leading the government and media to characterize factions led by Mordisco as “opposition” groups, contrasting with the “true” FARC leadership recognized in Bogotá.
