Within the framework of joint military operations, troops of the Direct Action and Reconnaissance Battalion No. 1, of the Rapid Deployment Force No. 1 of Colombian National Army, the Colombian Aerospace Force and in coordination with the National Police, fought against members of the Residual Organized Armed Group Jorge Suárez Briceño Bloc, in the rural area of the municipality of La Macarena, department of Meta, and produced a significant loss to their logistical, financial and criminal resources.
The military operation carried out in the village is the result of military intelligence work and permanent monitoring on the ringleader known as Patepalo, in the same way troops reported the confiscation of abundant war items, explosives, communications and items used for extortion activities against the inhabitants. Among the items found are three pistols, a revolver, ten magazines for a 5.56 mm caliber rifle, more than 600 cartridges of different calibers, an IM26 hand grenade, six improvised explosive devices, elements of military accessories, technological equipment, GPS, cell phones and a power generator.
According to the information gathered during the operation, alias Patepalo continues to constrain the inhabitants to try to evade the action of the Military Forces, hiding in rural houses and using family environments with the presence of minors as human shields to hinder the work of the troops.
These acts, in addition to putting the life and integrity of the peasant communities at serious risk, constitute a flagrant violation of Human Rights and violations of International Humanitarian Law, by using the inhabitants as a mechanism of protection and pressure.
In the same way, the troops found more than 100 million pesos in cash, allegedly as a result of the collection of money from extortion against from peasants, merchants and ranchers in this region of the country. In the same way, ten appointments books, to illegally summon the inhabitants, and restrain the inhabitants were confiscated, in addition to stamps alluding to the FARC-EP elements subversive doctrinal used for ideological indoctrination and strengthening of the illicit activities of this criminal structure.
Source: Press – National Army
