By Michelle Ndaga
At least 45 Colombian soldiers were kidnapped on Sunday in the Micay Canyon area of Cauca Department, a region heavily influenced by dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
The soldiers were reportedly engaged in government programs to replace illicit coca crops when hundreds of civilians, allegedly under rebel influence, surrounded and detained them.
The Colombian Army confirmed the mass abduction, describing it as a deliberate act to obstruct government operations.
The incident comes less than a month after a similar kidnapping in Guaviare, where 33 soldiers were captured and later released following negotiations over the return of a deceased rebel’s body.
Micay Canyon is known as a stronghold for a FARC dissident faction involved in coca cultivation and repeated attacks on military personnel. Locals are believed to be under the influence of these armed groups, creating a volatile security situation for government forces operating in the area.
The Colombian government has mobilized additional troops and resources to secure the release of the kidnapped soldiers, while President Gustavo Petro emphasized the urgency of restoring control over rebel-dominated territories. Authorities have not provided details on the conditions of the abducted personnel or the progress of rescue efforts.
This incident highlights the persistent security challenges in Colombia’s rural regions, where armed groups and drug trafficking networks continue to operate despite the 2016 FARC peace agreement.
Sources: AP News, Al Jazeera, Reuters
