The most recent terrorist attacks perpetrated by the FARC dissidents in the departments of Valle del Cauca and Cauca have led to the search for other dynamics by the public force to counteract illegal armed actions; Among them, there has been talk of the need to install high mountain battalions in ‘red’ zones of the territory.
The one who has made the request repeatedly was the governor of Valle, Dilian Francisca Toro, who would even be thinking about acquire lots to establish the Infantry Battalion No. 8 Battle of Pichincha, in the rural area of Jamundí.
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“We now have much clearer areas of the lots. That Jamundí Battalion, from the area above, is going to be very important to block the passage of criminals towards El Naya, to block the passage of coca and the entry of illegal mining, of the machinery that is used for that mining. “said the regional leader.
In this regard, General Helder Giraldo, commander of the Military Forces, assured that, although they are essential for the territorial control of some areas, there are conflicts at the social level that do not allow these commands to settle in the territory, mentioning a specific case.
“In these areas of the upper part of Villa Colombia we have had four riots in 2024, where the population, voluntarily or instrumentalized by armed terrorist groups, has taken out and prevented the fulfillment of the constitutional mission of the Army.”, stated the commander of the FF. MM. to Blu Radio.
General Giraldo stressed that, since this is a social problem, it is crucial that other Government institutions participate in the installation of high mountain battalions to make the necessary decisions and find solutions.
During the debate on the motion of censure, on Monday, June 17, the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to reactivate the high mountain battalion in Jamundí, in response to the escalation of violence by the FARC dissidents. in that area of the country.
Velásquez spoke of the need for a forceful response to the attacks by dissidents and announced the sending of 3,046 additional soldiers to Cauca to reinforce security. Likewise, he reported on the intention to increase the number of professional soldiers in the country.
Due to the terrorist actions that occurred in Jamundí and in Cauca municipalities such as Cajibío and Caloto, insecurity has increased in the region, resurfacing the debate on the need to strengthen the military presence, among other strategies.
In interview with Time, Velásquez criticized the decision of former President Iván Duque to withdraw the high mountain battalion from Jamundí, a measure that, according to the minister, facilitated the strengthening of dissidents. “The unfortunate decision of the previous government to withdraw the High Mountain Battalion from Jamundí allowed the dissidents to strengthen themselves and expand their territorial control“said the portfolio manager.
Velásquez added that the land where the battalion will be relocated has been identified and that the Army is prepared to carry out the relocation. “We are making progress in reinstalling the battalion, and as the governor informed us in recent security meetings, the land where it will be established has already been identified,” she stated in the aforementioned interview.
It should be noted that, due to the recent attacks with explosive drones, the public force announced a strategy to combat them through antidrone. “We are in an acquisition process, as a tool to contain these terrorist actions (…) We have available resources to be able to confront this type of armed drones”General Giraldo assured W Radio.
