One of Colombia’s most wanted guerrilla leaders would have died in an explosives attack in Venezuela, intelligence sources told local media.
According to government-loyal newspaper El Tiempo, unidentified sources said that “Gentil Duarte” was killed by “infiltrators” in Jesus María Semprun, a municipality in the Zulia state, on May 4.
This town is located at less than 10 miles from Colombia’s troubled Catatumbo region.
The claim by the government-loyal newspaper was confirmed by independent newspaper El Espectador, which cited intelligence sources.
The 58-year-old Duarte was a commander of guerrilla organization FARC until 2016 when the group decided to sign peace with the government of President Juan Manuel Santos.
Before peace was signed, the reportedly killed FARC dissident teamed up with “Ivan Mordizco” to form what is now called the “Southeastern Bloc.”
This FARC dissident group has since taken control over many of the FARC’s former territories in southeast Colombia.
