In compliance with the constitutional mission, under the guidelines of the Security, defense and citizen Coexistence Policy of the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ayacucho Operations Campaign Plan, troops of the National Army, seeking to protect the lives of civilians and provide security conditions in territories under dispute of criminal organizations, carried out military operations against the Organized Armed Group ELN.
As part of this operation to stabilize the territory, carried out in the rural area of the municipality of Arauquita, a confrontation occurred against the self-named Mártires del Frente de Guerra Oriental. 6 individuals, 4 men and 2 women, apparently members of this Organized Armed Group, died in the framework of military operations.
After intelligence work, the National Army troops arrived at the place, with characteristics of a camp area, where they in the same way found four rifles, 18 magazines, more than 400 cartridges of various calibers, a precision sight, 3 multipurpose vests and more than 15 anti-personnel mines, which were destroyed under controlled conditions in the same area of the operation.
These explosive devices are planted by these organized armed groups in plantations, drinking fountains and roads, putting communities and Military Forces at risk; these actions are considered violations of the provisions of International Humanitarian Law.
Regarding the war material found, and in a preliminary way, apparently there is a rifle that would correspond to that of one of our military personnel killed by this organized armed group in 2018, which will be determined by the authorities.
According to the authorities, these individuals would be responsible for multiple homicides in the department of Arauca in 2022, as well as confrontations against the GAO-r Structure 10 and 28. They would, in the same way, have kidnapped the wife of an officer of the Quirón Task Force and a driver of collective passenger transport, facts that are the subject of investigation.
The urgent acts are being conducted by the Attorney General's Office, Arauca section, who will in the same way carry out the respective investigations.
The military operation was carried out jointly with the Colombian Air Force and the National and inter-institutional Navy, as mentioned, with the support of the Attorney General's Office.
Source: Press - National Army
