Disguised as road workers, alleged FARC rebels open fired on a group of civilians and military men on Monday, killing four soldiers in what the military called a violation of armed conflict law.
The attack took place near a bridge construction site in southwest Colombia at midday on Monday.
Upon arriving on the scene on San Pedro River in the municipality of La Montañita, Caqueta, alleged rebels of the FARC’s 15th Front open fired on the construction workers and Armed Forces present, killing one non-commissioned officer and three regular soldiers who were responsible for the security of roads in the area.
Four civilians were also injured in what was reportedly a violation of international humanitarian law, or law of armed conflict.
“[This] was a demented act which once again shows the level of cruelty and with which the FARC operate,” read an army press release.
The command of the Army’s 6th Division has condemned the “cowardly and criminal” acts against their troops, which they described as being of a “treacherous and indiscriminate” nature.
Colombia’s largest rebel group are known to carry out regular attacks on the country’s infrastructure and roads. Its figureheads are currently in Havana, Cuba in the process of negotiating a possible peace agreement with the Colombian government, which seeks to end the internal conflict that has been ravaging the country for 50 years.
The victims were Corporal Second Class Jose Guillermo Suarez Amaya and regular soldiers Stiven Felipe Rincon Farfan, Diego Armando Santana Peña and John Anibal Rada Rivas. Four unnamed civilians were wounded.
Sources
- COMUNICADO DE PRENSA (Armed Forces Official Website)
- Masacre de 4 militares en Caquetá: Guerrilleros de las Farc atacaron disfrazados de obreros viales (Radio Santa Fe)