Colombian military personnel stand beside a tank. Photo: X/@COL_EJERCITO.
The 29 soldiers kidnapped in the Cañón de Micay, Cauca department, southwest Colombia, were released Sunday thanks to mediation by international and national organizations, Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported.
“Our 29 heroes of the homeland are free,” the minister wrote on social media Sunday, March 9. “Thanks to the Ministry of the Interior, the Ombudsperson’s Office, the OAS Support Mission for the Peace Process in Colombia, the United Nations, the Mayor’s Office of Argelia, Cauca, and the community of Cañón del Micay for mediating their liberation. If we all unite, life, peace and prosperity are possible.”
The abduction of the soldiers had become a matter of grave concern for the government and Colombian society.
“Thank you, President Gustavo Petro, for defending the dignity, rights and lives of our soldiers and police officers,” the Defense minister wrote.
He also stressed that abduction is a crime that will not go unpunished.
“The Constitution and the law will guide the judiciary to do its work,” he added, emphasizing the importance of applying existing laws to punish those responsible.
Minister Sánchez praised the work of the military and police, highlighting their bravery in missions carried out in the country’s most difficult regions.
“I am very proud of our Colombian police and military, who carry out missions where only the brave dare. Strength resides in resisting the blows and moving forward,” he said.
He also thanked citizens for their support of the security forces.
“To all Colombians, thank you for defending those who defend us. This lifts our spirit to move forward with more impetus,” he concluded.
The Cañón de Micay region has historically been a strategic area for drug trafficking due to its mountainous geography and access to Pacific exit routes.
The 29 military personnel were abducted Saturday, March 8, by illegal armed groups operating in the region.
The incident occurred amid recent intensification of armed conflicts among drug-trafficking gangs and dissident groups of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the southwestern part of the country.
(Sputnik) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/DZ
