The powerful blows against the FARC-EP dissidents, extortion in its different modalities, surrenders to justice and operations against illegal mining are reported.
During the first six months of 2024, the Sixth Brigade of Colombian National Army, with its battalions in the Tolima territory, has impacted on various factors of instability, which has generated security for the inhabitants of the department. It highlights the surrender to justice of 12 individuals belonging to residual organized armed groups from different parts of the country, who decided to voluntarily find themselves the troops in Tolima.
In the same way, troops reported three deaths in the framework of military operations, among them, of alias Capotillo, of the Residual Organized Armed Group - GAO-r- frente Ismael Ruiz, who had threatened the Governor of Tolima, Adriana Magali Matiz.
The work of military intelligence and the support of human sources have led to the dismantling of a substructure of the Ismael Ruiz front, with 14 arrested who planned to found the GAO-r Ger贸nimo Galeano front. In the same way, noteworthy is the arrest of three members of the GAO-r frente Ismael Ruiz, including the explosives expert alias Ca帽engo, in addition to a member of the ELN. Seven illegal hiding places and explosive devices were found by troops and have already been destroyed in controlled conditions according to anti-explosive security protocols. All this material was going to be used to hit the troops that carry out military control of the area and the inhabitants.
In terms of organized criminal groups, 57 arrests and 182 arrests related to common crime were reported in this first semester. This impact of the military operation is complemented by operations to combat the problem of extortion, a crime with a greater presence in the territory. The Military Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) Tolima has made 17 arrests of individuals who were using persistent modalities such as groups outlaw, false service or false relative.
In relation to the illicit activities, 226 kilos of marijuana, 1480 grams of cocaine and 14,000 grams of bazuko (crack) have been found.
As for the illegal exploitation of mining deposits, five sites have been found, where gold mining machinery and trawling material have been found. In addition, the branch has contributed to the conservation and protection of the environment with the planting of more than 66,000 trees by the different battalions in these first six months.
Source: Press - Fifth Division of Colombian National Army
