As the government seeks to hem in FARC commander Alfonso Cano in the mountainous center of the country, a soldier was killed in a clash with the FARC in northern Colombia.
The soldier died in a gunfight after FARC forces ambushed his unit in the Catatumbo region, known for its mountainous jungle. Reinforcements were sent to assist the soldier’s unit, but they could not save his life.
The Catatumbo region is a hotbed of FARC activity, with 60 attacks reported in the region this year. It is located close to Colombia’s border with Venezuela in the department of Norte de Santander, and is home to both revolutionary instability and significant oil deposits.