The so-called Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) continue to recruit and train children for their ranks. In a video released by Caracol News approximately 20 young people, more than half of them minors, can be seen with weapons on their shoulders, military equipment and marching at the voice of a leader, in the middle of the jungle.
The images were recorded in the middle of this year by Colombian military personnel during an operation against the terrorist group.
Noticias Caracol learned of images that show the training of minors by FARC dissidents in the department of Guaviare - https://t.co/USkx05Xg17 pic.twitter.com/4er8pcxQEf
- Caracol News (@NoticiasCaracol) September 12, 2022
Colombia's defense minister, Iván Velázquez, announced late last August a ban on bombing terrorist camps with the presence of minors:
The bombing must be suspended. Minors recruited by illegal organizations are victims, therefore, any military action cannot put them in danger. Life must be prioritized over death; operations that endanger the lives of the civilian population and of these minors cannot be carried out.
The material shows how terrorist groups, including the National Liberation Army (ELN), continue illegally and criminally recruiting minors in the midst of the new Colombian government's efforts to achieve "total peace" in the country.
Biden Removed FARC From the List of Terrorist Organizations
The Biden administration removed the FARC from the State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) in November 2021.
Washington argued that the criminal groups that emerged after the Havana peace process no longer represented the former communist guerrillas. The White House defended their position by acknowledging that the FARC had dismantled and then transformed themsevles into a political group.
However, the new terrorist groups in Colombia continue to identify themselves as the FARC. There are dissidents who are still active in cooperation with drug traffickers.
