The figure corresponds to the humanitarian demining works carried out this year in the department of Caquetá.
The operation of the soldiers of the Engineer Battalion of Humanitarian Demining No.1, in the municipalities of San José de Fragua, El Paujil, La Montañita, Puerto Rico and Florencia, had a significant impact in the Caqueteña region, since the mine clearance specialists managed to clear 260,000 square meters this year.
Lieutenant Colonel Jorge Alexander Flechas, commander of the Humanitarian Demining Engineer Battalion No.1, states that “in addition to the clearance tasks in five municipalities, mine clearance specialists destroyed 18 explosive devices and anti-personnel mines, which complement a total of 286 explosive devices that have been destroyed since demining began in the department.”
It is noteworthy that among the projections for 2023, there is the presentation (as free of mines) of the municipality of San José de Fragua and the main effort will be concentrated in the municipality of Florencia, to declare the capital city of the department as a territory free of suspected anti-personnel mines.
Sandra Rodríguez Pretel, secretary of government of the department of Caquetá, described the scope of demining in the region: “it is important for us to have these areas, especially these rural areas free of explosive devices because our peasants thus safeguard their lives and make the land of this department productive. We know and understand that the soldiers of the Humanitarian Demining Engineers Battalion, with their work and effort with the peasants, coordinate so that our lands return to the productivity that was experienced in the eighties, eighty-five, where we had large plantations of rice, corn and sorghum, among others.”
In turn, the regional official highlighted that, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, the governorate acquired tractors so that, in the demined areas, peasants can work their lands and do their planting.
On the other hand, the soldiers, in coordination with the government, recovered eight rural schools benefiting more than 1,200 children from this region who were receiving classes in difficult conditions.
In parallel to the demining work, members of the Military Forces carried out more than 60 medical evacuations, thus providing comprehensive assistance to the communities.
Source: Press - Humanitarian Demining Brigade of the National Army
