Colombian Troops Kill 22 FARC Guerrillas in Jungle Operation
- 14 years ago
Colombian troops have killed at least 22 FARC guerrillas in a raid on their jungle camp on Sunday.
President Juan Manuel Santos, in office since August, has continued his predecessor's hard-line on security.
[Rodrigo Rivera, Minister of Defense]:
"This morning we reached this goal. There are 22 terrorists dead following an operation that included gathered intelligence from the national police and with a contingency of our men in the jungle and the support of the air force who carried out the bombardment on the camp. This is a severe blow to the 48th front of the FARC."
Sunday's bombardment and Special Forces assault took place in Putumayo province, once a FARC stronghold and a cocaine hot spot near the remote jungle frontier with Ecuador.
FARC has attempted to show its presence before the new government.
In recent attacks, they killed 14 officers on patrol with a rocket attack, and used improvised mortars to attack a town where they killed at least six police officers.
However, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC, is at its weakest in decades. The latest assaults have had less impact than any during its heyday when hundreds of rebels were able to overrun towns and kidnap politicians almost at will.
While still a force in remote areas, the FARC now resorts to ambushes and improvised landmines to harry troops and protect its coca leaf crops used to make cocaine. Rebels are also increasingly working with criminal gangs involved in drug trafficking, providing authorities with a new challenge.
President Juan Manuel Santos, in office since August, has continued his predecessor's hard-line on security.
[Rodrigo Rivera, Minister of Defense]:
"This morning we reached this goal. There are 22 terrorists dead following an operation that included gathered intelligence from the national police and with a contingency of our men in the jungle and the support of the air force who carried out the bombardment on the camp. This is a severe blow to the 48th front of the FARC."
Sunday's bombardment and Special Forces assault took place in Putumayo province, once a FARC stronghold and a cocaine hot spot near the remote jungle frontier with Ecuador.
FARC has attempted to show its presence before the new government.
In recent attacks, they killed 14 officers on patrol with a rocket attack, and used improvised mortars to attack a town where they killed at least six police officers.
However, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC, is at its weakest in decades. The latest assaults have had less impact than any during its heyday when hundreds of rebels were able to overrun towns and kidnap politicians almost at will.
While still a force in remote areas, the FARC now resorts to ambushes and improvised landmines to harry troops and protect its coca leaf crops used to make cocaine. Rebels are also increasingly working with criminal gangs involved in drug trafficking, providing authorities with a new challenge.