Among those arrested is alias Zeta, accused of being one of the main extortionists of the department of Arauca and alleged recruiter of minors through social networks.
Within the framework of a joint operation with the National Navy and the Colombian Aerospace Force and coordinated with the National Police, troops of the Eighteenth Brigade of Colombian National Army fought against members of the Heroes and Martyrs Battalion, Capitan Dumar Company, of the organized armed group (GAO) ELN.
The events were reported in the village of La Conquista, a rural area of the municipality of Arauca, where the troops broke up this illegal armed structure, significantly hitting its criminal resources in the region.
During the military operation, a member of this illegal armed group was killed in fighting against the troops. In the same way, seven alleged members of this structure were arrested, including alias Zeta, who would be one of the main perpetrators of extortion of money in the department and using social networks for the recruitment of minors.
Eight minors who had been taken by this illegal armed group were in the same way recovered at the scene, five of whom are Venezuelans. The troops prioritized the protection of their integrity and transferred them to a health care center to verify their health status. Subsequently, they were put into custody of the Colombian Family Wellbeing Institute for the restoration of their rights and the corresponding psychosocial accompaniment.
During the military operation, twelve long-range weapons, three handguns, a high-precision rifle scope, six hand grenades, more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition of different calibers and communications equipment and military accessories were seized.
This result represents a heavy blow against the narco-terrorist structures of the ELN in the department of Arauca, reducing its criminal capacity and weakening its intentions to hit the inhabitants and the Military Forces.
Military operations continue in the sector, with the aim of continuing to hit this criminal structure and maintain the security and stability of the communities.
Source: National Army - Eighteenth Brigade
