Two minors of age belonging to an Embera indigenous community were recovered by Colombian Navy troops after escaping the Organized Armed Group ELN in the Bellavista area, Santa Teresita, in the municipality of Juradó - in the department of Chocó.
In the framework of the operations carried out by the Marine Infantry Brigade No.2, through the Marine Infantry Battalion No.23, to protect the indigenous communities that are settled in the municipality of Juradó, in the department of Chocó, it was possible to recover these adolescents who at the time of voluntary surrender, said to be part of the company Néstor Tulio Durán, of the ELN.
The indigenous boys, 16 and 17, declared they had been part of this criminal organization for more than a year, victims of forced recruitment. That was a time in which they received mistreatment, inadequate food and, in addition, they could not have any contact with their relatives.
Due to the pressure exerted by the troops in the area to weaken these structures of the Organized Armed Groups, it was possible to recover these two children, who were afraid and decided to flee, leaving the camp area and their weapons until finding the troops of the Navy of Colombia who gave them first aid when seeing them in poor physical condition and dehydrated. Later, they were handed over to the Colombian Family Wellbeing Institute -ICBF.
According to the indigenous minors, alias 'Wilfred' was the leader of the group that had recruited them, which perpetrates extortion of money, forced recruitment and drug trafficking activities in the municipality of Juradó.
Source: Pacific Naval Force
