Family ties bind FARC and Urabeños together in northern Colombia

(Photo: Diario ADN)

Colombia’s National Police chief on Wednesday said that the commander of neo-paramilitary group “Los Urabeños” teamed up with the regional commander of country’s the largest armed group FARC in Antioquia, because they are lead by cousins. 

Seven police were killed and five wounded in an attack allegedly carried out by neo-paramilitary group Urabeños and the FARC’s 58th Front Tuesday, the latter is responding to the Ivan Rios block of FARC.

MORE: 7 police killed in north Colombia ambush, govt blames FARC-Urabeños alliance

After the attack, General Rodolfo Palomino said that the two groups have made an alliance because the leader of the Ivan Rios block Luis Carlos Usuga, alias “Isaias Trujillo”, is the first cousin of Dairo Antonio Usuga, alias “Otoniel”, the supreme leader of the Urabeños, alleged Palomino.

Both groups have vested interests in the cultivation of coca, the trafficking of cocaine and the extortion of local miners in the states of Cordoba and Antioquia, both located in the northwest of Colombia.

In the statement made by Palomino he explained that the alliance is motivated by these criminal activities.

A local military commander previously told Colombia Reports that a non-aggression pact has existed between the Urabeños and FARC in the area.

The FARC are Colombia’s longest-living rebel group while the Urabeños’ roots lie in the paramilitary organization AUC, once founded to combat the FARC and consolidate criminal businesses interests throughout the country.

Sources

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