Colombia: FARC dissidents abduct 29 military and police officers

A group of dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) kidnapped 29 members of the Colombian security forces in two municipalities located in the department of Cauca.

Specifically, the criminals belong to the Grupo Armado Organizado Residual (GAOR) Carlos Patiño, which, in addition to kidnapping the soldiers and policemen, burned two official vehicles.

Through a statement posted on social media, Colombian Minister of Defense Pedro Sánchez Suárez confirmed the kidnapping carried out by the criminals, clarifying that these facts "constitute war crimes that violate International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights."

"The national government, through the Ministry of National Defense, denounces and strongly condemns the attempted homicide and subsequent kidnapping of 29 members of the Public Force in the corregimiento of El Plateado and La Hacienda, in the municipalities of Argelia and El Tambo, respectively, in the department of Cauca," Sanchez wrote.

"The life and safety of the kidnapped members of the Public Force is the direct responsibility of those who committed this repudiatory crime. These acts constitute war crimes that violate International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, by displacing, confining, isolating and terrorizing the civilian population, preventing the exercise of their fundamental rights and freedoms," the official added.

Sánchez concluded by listing the charges faced by the criminals.

"In coordination with the Attorney General's Office, and based on the evidence collected, progress is being made in the identification and individualization of those responsible, who face charges of attempted homicide, kidnapping and other serious crimes, with penalties that can reach up to 20 years in prison," he detailed.