Military operations in central and south Colombia have managed to neutralize several landmines and other explosive materials allegedly belonging to the FARC rebel group, the army reported Tuesday.
In the first action, troops from the Ground Combat Battalion 50 “Palonegro” reportedly destroyed six landmines and roughly five pounds of ANFO explosive material that allegedly belong to FARC members of the “Hector Ramirez” Squadron.
The operation was carried out in the village of La Novia Celestial in the municipality of San Vicente del Caguan, Caqueta. Ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) explosives are more commonly known as fertilizer bombs and are widely used for quarrying and mining, as well as improvised explosive devices.
Simultaneously, soldiers from the 6th Division located and destroyed four make-shift explosive devices that were allegedly installed by FARC members from the 15 Squadron in a rural area outside of La Montañita municipality in Caqueta.
Meanwhile, Colombian forces from the Ground Combat Battalion 68 “General Jose Maria Ayala” neutralized five landmines in the town of San Miguel, located in the municipality of Planadas, Tolima. Reportedly, the death traps were distributed by FARC members of the “Alfredo Gonzalez” Squadron.
Lastly, troops of the Ground Combat Battalion 122 detected and destroyed an explosive artifact that was left by guerrillas from the FARC’s 31 Squadron in the town of Galilea located in the municipality of Colombia, Huila.