Colombia’s Ministry of Defense on Friday announced that 17 members of rebel group FARC were captured while attempting to steal a helicopter in the southwestern department of Cauca.
Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon revealed the information through his twitter account, praising the operation carried out by police in the Santander de Quilichao municipality in southwest Cauca department.
President Juan Manuel Santos also made a statement about the arrests declaring, “This morning I received some very important news,” namely the capture of the “special forces unit” of the FARC’s 6th Front who, the head of state claimed, “Have committed all kinds of terrorist actions.”
According to Ricardo Alarcon, the police chief in Cauca, the operation was the result of eight months of intelligence and planning, and took place at 6:00 AM Friday morning.
Alarcon told the press that two simultaneous raids were carried out, with 60 of his men using tear gas to debilitate FARC members before capturing them.
The police chief revealed the rebel members were dressed in army uniforms, and helmets complete with protective visors, and were preparing to take control of a goods helicopter.
Pinzon also said that among the failed helicopter thieves was alias “Leo”, right hand man of alias “Jaimito”, the alleged leader of the FARC’s 6th Front.
Sources
- Ministro Pinzón exaltó golpe al frente VI de las Farc (Ministerio de Defensa Nacional)
- Capturan a 17 guerrilleros que pretendían robar helicóptero en el Cauca (El Espectador)
- Santos dice que fueron capturados 17 rebeldes FARC (Terra)
