Colombia’s Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez has confirmed the release of 33 soldiers who were abducted by armed civilians in the country’s southeast.
The troops were kidnapped on August 25 during an operation in El Retorno, Guaviare department, following clashes that left 11 guerrillas dead, including a commander of a dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
According to Sánchez, the soldiers were seized shortly before they were scheduled to evacuate the area. Their release is seen as a fragile step forward in the government’s efforts to contain FARC dissidents who continue to reject the 2016 peace accord.
El Retorno and surrounding jungle zones remain strongholds for dissident groups, serving as strategic drug trafficking corridors with extensive coca plantations. Authorities also accuse the militants of forced recruitment of minors and intimidation of local residents to deter state security operations.
Kidnappings of security personnel have long been a feature of Colombia’s six-decade conflict, which has claimed more than 450,000 lives. The latest incident underscores the challenges facing President Gustavo Petro’s 2022 peace initiative, which aims to negotiate with armed groups but has faced mounting criticism over limited progress.
While the soldiers’ safe return has been welcomed, rights groups warn that violence persists in rural regions, and scepticism remains over the government’s ability to secure lasting peace amid entrenched drug trafficking networks.
