The Colombian Army killed 15 FARC dissidents this Thursday, April 25, in military operations, while another 12 were injured in the troubled department of Cauca, in southwestern Colombia. President Gustavo Petro assured that this offensive, which included air attacks, against the Central General Staff (EMC), the main dissident of the FARC, is one of the most important military operations in recent times.
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At least 15 members of the Central General Staff (EMC), a faction of the FARC that did not join the 2016 peace agreement, died on Thursday, April 25, in an offensive by the Military Forces in southwestern Colombia, which President Gustavo Petro described it as the largest against that armed group.
The operations took place in the town of El Plateado, in the municipality of Argelia, one of the most disputed territories in the southwest of the country against the Carlos Patiño Front, belonging to the EMC, commanded by 'Iván Mordisco'.
Military intelligence work allowed the location of this site used as a camp by members of this armed group, and from where the attacks on the troops that are deployed in the surroundings of this township as well as against the population have originated,” the Army explained. it's a statement.
According to the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, this is “the largest action” against the EMC within the new offensive against this group, during which the Army has held “31 combats that have so far left more than 30 members of these structures neutralized, nearly twenty recovered minors who had been forcibly recruited” and the submission of 29 people to justice.
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“In addition, the criminal and financial actions of this armed group are significantly affected, given that areas of their interference are recovered through which they mobilize narcotics products from drug trafficking,” the Army added.
Precisely in El Plateado, a motorcycle bomb exploded on Wednesday, leaving no injuries, but material damage, and it is one of the main red zones in the offensive that has been going on for a few weeks – since the Government suspended the ceasefire with the EMC – It takes place in Cauca.
The offensive against the EMC
In recent weeks, the Colombian Military Forces have redoubled the military campaign against the part of the EMC commanded by 'Iván Mordisco', after this armed group, in its campaign of harassment of the civilian population and especially indigenous communities, killed an indigenous leader in March.
Petro first ordered to suspend the ceasefire in three departments where the most belligerent fronts of the EMC operate and then ordered the Army to act forcefully against the armed group, especially in Cauca.
This same Thursday, referring to the current military operation, the Colombian head of state assured:
“We must not play with peace, if it is war it is war. Stopping the war implies being serious about Peace. The EMC in Cauca has not had it by killing the civilian population.”
Currently, the Government considers that there are two groups within the EMC, the most belligerent with whom it has broken the ceasefire and are no longer negotiating, and those from the Magdalena Medio and Catatumbo front and those from the south of the country, with whom it continues wanting to be seated at the negotiating table that was formally installed last year.
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In November of last year, El Plateado marked a turning point in the dialogue, which was suspended after the community retained a platoon of 200 soldiers, although the delegations subsequently managed to smooth over differences and hold a couple of cycles of dialogue. further.
The Government and the then FARC guerrilla signed a peace agreement in November 2016 to end 52 years of conflict.
However, some guerrillas opposed the agreement and others were expelled from the armed group for not assuming the guidelines of the FARC hierarchy.
Currently, these dissidents operate especially in departments in the south of the country, such as Nariño, on the border with Ecuador.
EFE
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