More than 280 anti-personnel mines and 260 tatucos, among other items, were stored by the Franco Benavides dissidents. Its use would be destined to attack against the Military Forces and the inhabitants.
Through military operations aligned to the Ayacucho Campaign Plan, soldiers of the Twenty-Third Brigade, unit of the Third Division of Colombian National Army, found in a rural area of the municipality of Los Andes Sotomayor, Nari帽o, an illegal hideout with 3.7 tons of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).The military operation occurred when the troops were carrying out search tasks in this municipality. This is how this illegal hiding place was found. It was used as a collection center to store 280 anti-personnel mines, 20 cylinder-type improvised explosive devices, 260 improvised manufactured ammunition, commonly known as tatuco; 240 improvised manufactured ammunition type mortar grenade with fuse, 300 kilograms of black powder; in the same way, 3 bracelets alluding to the residual organized armed group Western Bloc Jacobo Arenas, Franco Benavides Structure were found by troops. The explosives and demolitions group EXDE went to the scene of the events, which neutralized the explosives under controlled conditions in compliance with security protocols. According to experts, one of these explosives when activated could have an approximate range of more than 500 meters, which can generate a crater by 1.5 and 3.5 meters in diameter. Its use would be destined to attack the Military Forces and in the same way against the communities, being a great risk for their good physical condition due to the great range of these elements, causing damage to the constructions when activated. So far this year, the 23rd Brigade has defused 77 explosives including IEDs and anti-personnel mines in the department of Nari帽o. It is of great importance to highlight that the manufacture and activation of these elements are a flagrant violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. Colombian National Army is constant in its work to preserve the life and tranquility of the inhabitants of southwestern Colombia, in the same way rejects the criminal operations of these groups that violently attack the Military Forces and the inhabitants.
Source: National Army - Third Division
