Colombia’s armed forces killed at least seven dissident fighters of demobilized guerrilla group FARC, the country’s defense ministry said Monday.
The joint operation between the army, air force, navy and national police was carried out in the Calamar municipality, in the nation’s south-eastern province of Guaviare.
The Ministry of Defense tweeted that members of the FARC’s dissident First Front were the target of the attack.
#Atención en importante operación de @COL_EJERCITO @FuerzaAereaCol @armadacolombia y @PoliciaColombia se ha logrado la neutralización de 7 integrantes GAO residual Frente 1 #Farc, entre ellos dos cabecillas. Asimismo la incautación de material de guerra. #NoticiaEnDesarrollo
— Mindefensa (@mindefensa) March 19, 2018
Alias “Leiber el Mocho,” the alleged second in command of the dissident faction, and alias “Gabriel,” the group’s alleged financial chief, were among the victims, the ministry said.
The assault, which included an air strike along with a ground operation, also saw war material being seized, including eight firearms.
The First Front, which is led by “Gentil Duarte,” was expelled from the FARC weeks after the group signed a peace agreement with the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos in 2016.
It has since grown to become 500 fighters strong and running most the coca-growing operations in the south and southeast of Colombia, and trafficking routes into Brazil and Venezuela.
