The military reported that 31 soldiers were taken on Saturday and an additional 26 on Sunday, all by a mob of over 200 individuals in the southwestern Micay Canyon. This area is notorious for its coca cultivation, serving as a pivotal point in the Colombian drug trade. Brigadier General Federico Alberto Mejia confirmed the abductions in a social media video, stating that “this is called kidnapping.”
Local sources indicate that the kidnappings might have been orchestrated by the EMC, a prominent dissident faction of the former Farc rebel group, which originally entered a peace agreement with the Colombian government in 2016. The EMC has yet to issue any statement regarding the incident. The Micay Canyon also serves as a crucial route for transporting cocaine to Pacific ports, where shipments are funneled into international markets. As tensions rise, the government must navigate this complex and dangerous landscape in its fight against drug-related violence.
Local sources indicate that the kidnappings might have been orchestrated by the EMC, a prominent dissident faction of the former Farc rebel group, which originally entered a peace agreement with the Colombian government in 2016. The EMC has yet to issue any statement regarding the incident. The Micay Canyon also serves as a crucial route for transporting cocaine to Pacific ports, where shipments are funneled into international markets. As tensions rise, the government must navigate this complex and dangerous landscape in its fight against drug-related violence.
