The Colombian army captured three alleged members of the guerrilla group the FARC who were responsible for intelligence operations and attacks in the southern region of the country.
According to a statement made by the army on Monday, after weeks of intelligence work, Colombia’s military was able to capture members of the FARC known as “Care Vaca,” “Ipa” and “Julio Luna,” all working for the Teofilo Forero Castro Mobile Column of the Marxist rebel group.
The military operations took place in Doncello and Puerto Rico of the Caqueta department in southern Colombia.
Julio Luna was arrested in Doncello, he was involved in the deaths of a non-commissioned officer and two soldiers in May 2015 during a firefight that left four more soldiers and an anti-explosives dog injured.
Luna was also responsible for laying mine fields and supplying the FARC with information on the movements of the police and the army.
Care Vaca was apprehended in Puerto Rico while driving a vehicle allegedly used for delivering supplies to units of the guerrilla group and to transport its members when carrying out attacks against the armed forces and Colombian citizens.
Care Vaca is the right-hand man to “El Paisa,” the leader of the Teófilo Forero Castro unit, for whom he carried out intelligence on businesses in the region to collect protection money from them.
Ipa was also arrested in Puerto Rico. Ipa was responsible for coordinating the protection money received by Teófilo Forero Castro, delivering supplies to the guerrillas and providing information on the movements of military personnel. He was also involved in the intelligence operation ahead of bringing down the Riecito bridge in 2012.
The three FARC members will be charged with rebellion and colluding in terrorist crimes. An army statement said they are being held in Cunduy prison.
Currently the FARC are in peace talks with the state in order to resolve the 50-year-long civil conflict which killed 260,000 Colombians and left 6 million displaced.