General of the army, during the event in which he acknowledged and apologized for the extrajudicial execution of Alix Fabián Vargas, murdered in 2008 by the military.
Photo: Mauricio Alvarado Lozada
The National Army has lost six men in recent days, during confrontations with the FARC dissidents calling themselves the Central General Staff (EMC). A subversive group with which a ceasefire agreement remains suspended and with which they are fighting for control of the Micay Canyon, in Cauca, considered one of the most important drug trafficking corridors in the country.
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The situation has been alerted by the soldiers themselves who, in audios sent to the media, claim to feel abandoned by the Army’s delay in sending them reinforcements, to the point that they had to allow guerrillas to find and abuse the bodies of three soldiers shot in Algeria. . In dialogue with W Radiothe commander of the Army, General Luis Mauricio Ospina, responded to the questions surrounding the combats.
“There has been a week where the attack by these groups has intensified, but it is also proportional to the operations we have been carrying out. “In this matter of being worse and being in the operation that seeks to recover the Micay Canyon and replace the illicit economies with the licit ones, unfortunately we lost six men who were victims of bloody attacks,” Ospina said.
Background: The number of soldiers killed in combat in Algeria (Cauca) increases to three
Likewise, he assured that the territorial control operation was seriously affected by the rainy conditions in Cauca, to the point that they could not rescue the soldiers who had completed the first captures of five dissidents. The delay caused, according to Ospina, that the dissidents were able to position themselves again and launch tatuco-type explosives, which ended up killing two soldiers, in addition to the four who were shot. One of the latter agonized to death because they could not rescue him.
“We never abandon the soldiers on principle and we swear to the flag that, if we have to risk our lives, we do it for the Homeland. We never lost communication. We were always very attentive and the troops’ disposition was clear. We had the difficulty of time to be able to enter to support the points that were there. There was a dispersion of our men, which made it easier for the enemy to attack,” Ospina added.
In context: Control of the Micay canyon once again confronts the Army with Mordisco dissidents in Cauca
Regarding the reason why they “abandoned” the bodies of the first three dead soldiers, General Ospina pointed out that it was a decision originated on the ground and ordered by the captain in the area. The idea, according to the Army commander, was for the troops to reorganize, but with three soldiers dead and one in critical condition, at that time, it was difficult. The captain decided to hide the bodies and leave with the wounded man. In the course of the reorganization, Ospina says, the guerrillas found the bodies.
“The president has made the decision to propose total peace to these groups. That has had several phases. As the situation has changed, we have adjusted. It is not giving an opinion on whether we like it or not. Our mandate is to accompany. When situations arise, it was proposed to President Gustavo Petro what could happen for us to act with greater freedom,” concluded General Ospina.
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