Fifty-seven Colombian soldiers, held captive in the Cauca region mountains since the weekend, have been successfully rescued in a military operation, according to Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Minister Sánchez described the operation, dubbed “Operation Justice,” as bloodless, emphasizing that no shots were fired during the soldiers’ release.
The soldiers were initially seized in an area known as a stronghold of the EMC rebel group, heavily involved in cocaine production and trafficking.
Minister Sánchez attributed the soldiers’ capture to the EMC, stating that the civilians who apprehended them acted under the rebels’ orders.
The Colombian military reported that the incident stemmed from the arrest of a suspected EMC rebel on Saturday. While airlifting the suspect, the military contingent was surrounded by over 100 people.
A subsequent military unit was also detained the following day by an even larger group, as confirmed by Colombian army General Erick Rodríguez.
While civilian detentions of security forces have occurred previously, the scale of this incident—involving 57 soldiers—was unprecedented.
Past incidents typically involved negotiations with humanitarian groups, resulting in swift soldier releases. However, the captors of the 57 soldiers refused mediation, necessitating a larger military intervention.
Subsequently, heavily armed reinforcements were deployed, leading to the arrest of 20 individuals, according to the defense minister.
Military estimates indicate that over 90% of the region’s inhabitants rely on coca cultivation for their livelihood, making the presence of soldiers a perceived threat.
The region is also plagued by various armed groups engaged in extortion, illegal mining, and cocaine trafficking.