The Colombian National Army has recently denounced that the dissidents of the Carlos Patiño front, previously associated with the FARC, are using civilian homes in the town of El Plateado, Argelia, Cauca, as platforms to launch explosives. This act, which contravenes the norms of International Humanitarian Law, puts local communities at serious risk.
According to military sources, these attacks constitute a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions and human rights, by involving the civilian population in the armed conflict. Recent operations in the area include a clash last Thursday, where 15 guerrillas were killed and another 12 wounded during an air offensive by the National Army.
The residents of El Plateado find themselves caught in the crossfire. In addition, their homes are used by insurgents to launch improvised explosive devices, described by Commander Federico Mejía of the Cauca Specific Command as an artisanal and dangerously uncontrollable artillery, nicknamed locally as ‘the crazy bomb’.
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Added to these worrying developments is the misuse of critical infrastructure, such as the aqueduct that provides drinking water, from where explosives have also been launched. Over the past few months, attacks on vital infrastructure have increased, including numerous attacks on the El Mango electrical substation, crucial for the municipality’s energy supply.
Faced with this situation, the National Army has reaffirmed its commitment to continue operations in the department of Cauca to protect the integrity and tranquility of the residents, and to counteract the threat that these armed groups represent for the stability of the region.
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