World News
Colombian military kills FARC dissident leader, president says
President Abelardo de la Espriella announced the death of the commander known as Felipe or Arcadio during an operation in the country's southwest.
The short version
- Colombian military forces killed a FARC dissident commander identified as "Felipe" or "Arcadio" in southwestern Colombia on Sunday.
- President Abelardo de la Espriella stated the operation targeted a leader of the Jaime Martínez unit within the dissident faction led by "Iván Mordisco."
- The president reaffirmed a hard-line security policy against illegal armed groups, promising continued military offensives.
Key facts
- Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced that military forces killed a FARC dissident leader known by the aliases "Felipe" or "Arcadio" during a Sunday operation.[Associated Press]
- The slain leader commanded a unit within the Jaime Martínez faction, which refused to participate in Colombia's 2016 peace agreement.[Associated Press]
- De la Espriella accused the commander of carrying out drone-dropped explosive attacks on police stations, planting roadside explosives, extortion, and torching vehicles in Valle del Cauca.[Associated Press]
- Authorities seized weapons and ammunition during the operation that killed the dissident leader.[Associated Press]
- The announcement coincides with a shift away from former President Gustavo Petro's peace negotiations, as de la Espriella formally ended suspended extradition processes and authorized sending suspects to the U.S.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- Independent verification of the identity of the deceased individual shown in the president's video post was not provided in the report.[Associated Press]
Sources
- Colombia’s president says soldiers killed a key dissident leaderAssociated Press