Colombian Defense Minister: 30 Kidnapped Soldiers Freed
The Colombian Ministry of Defense has confirmed the release of more than 30 soldiers who where kidnapped by armed groups in the Adgal region,located in the country’s southeast. The proclamation came just days after their capture, according to webangah News Agency.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that these soldiers were abducted shortly before an evacuation operation in the area.
The kidnapping occurred on August 25 following a clash in a rural area near El Retorno town, which resulted in the deaths of 11 militants, including a commander from a dissident faction of FARC forces.
This forested region serves as a stronghold for a FARC dissident group that rejected the 2016 peace agreement. it remains a strategic corridor for drug trafficking and is well-known for extensive coca cultivation-the raw material used to produce cocaine.
According to Agence France-Presse, abductions of military personnel have become increasingly common in southern Colombia. these kidnappings are typically carried out by local actors under orders from guerrilla factions controlling parts of these territories.
The Colombian army reportedly avoids using force during such incidents to prevent harm to civilians caught in conflict zones.
Most abducted soldiers are usually released after intimidation tactics by militants and several days’ captivity.
