The Colombian Navy, through the Amazon Naval Force, in its tireless operation to contribute to the safety and well-being of the inhabitants, has made important progress in the fight against organized crime in the department of Putumayo. In a joint work with the Colombian National Army and the National Police, about a ton and a half of Improvised Explosive Devices have been found so far this year.
The continuous confrontations conducted by the Military Forces against the Residual Organized Armed Group E 48 Comandos de Frontera, as well as its confrontations with the GAO-r E Carolina Ramírez, have led the Comandos de Frontera to increase the use of this type of devices to hit military units and obtain advantages in confrontations against the structures of the Central General Staff of the FARC.
The improvised explosive devices would be manufactured in areas controlled by the GAO-r E 48 and subsequently transported to disputed areas. In the municipality of Mocoa - department of Putumayo, they would be concentrating the supplies and designating explosives for the elaboration of the devices. These AEIs are designed for various functions, from anti-personnel mines to drone-launched operations.
This is how troops of the Navy Infantry River Battalion No. 30 of the Colombian Navy, in joint operations with the Colombian National Army and coordinated with the National Police, have found 900 devices in rural and urban areas of the municipality of Mocoa, 376 devices in the Alto Sinaí Village found in Villa Garzón - Putumayo and 170 devices in the rural area of Piedmont in the south of Cauca.
In another operation, troops of Navy Infantry River Battalion No. 31 together with the Colombian National Army, found and later neutralized two explosive devices in the village of Dos Quebradas in Cartagena del Chairá - department of Caquetá. These devices, activated by pressure, would belong to the GAO-r Rodrigo Cadete.
These elements, presumably destined for the armed confrontations against the GAO-r E Carolina Ramirez, reflects the desperate efforts of the criminal groups to expand their territorial control and their illicit activities associated with drug trafficking in the region.
Alias Popeye, alleged group ringleader of the GAO-r E 48, would be the main responsible for these illicit activities, coordinating the supply of logistics, military accessories, explosives and weapons for the various structures of the group.
It is important to mention that this explosive element is probably being used in different areas of criminal influence of the GAO-r E 48 Comandos de Frontera, with the aim of hindering the operations of the military units responsible for the control and search of areas. On March 23, 2024, in the village of Santa Rosa de Juanambu, an Army sergeant of the VI Division died, being this a sample of the dangers faced by the Military Forces in the fulfillment of their constitutional mission.
Source: Press – Navy of Colombia
