Colombia’s army says 57 soldiers were kidnapped over the weekend in a dangerous area called Micay Canyon in the southwest of the country.
This region is controlled by armed groups and is known for cocaine production and smuggling.
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The army said 31 soldiers were taken on Saturday, and another 26 on Sunday, making a total of 57 kidnapped soldiers.
Reports say the soldiers were surrounded and taken by more than 200 civilians. These civilians were believed to be acting under the orders of rebel fighters who broke away from the FARC group.
FARC had signed a peace deal with the government in 2016, but some members did not accept it and continued fighting.
A top army officer, Brigadier General Federico Alberto Mejía, said in a video posted online, “This is kidnapping.”
He confirmed that those kidnapped include 4 officers and 53 regular soldiers.
The group believed to be behind the abductions is called EMC (Estado Mayor Central). It is the biggest rebel group that came from the old FARC fighters. So far, EMC has not responded to the reports.
Micay Canyon is a key route for moving cocaine from the jungles to Colombia’s Pacific coast, where it is sent overseas. Because of its rough mountains and weak government presence, it is often the site of fights between rebels and the army.
This incident shows that security in Colombia’s countryside remains unstable, even though President Gustavo Petro’s government is trying to make peace with rebel groups and help them return to normal life.