Defence Ministry deploys reinforcements in southwest Colombia after attacks leave 19 civilians dead and others injured

The Colombian government has ordered an immediate reinforcement of public security forces in the country’s southwest following an offensive attributed to FARC dissident groups in the Cauca department, where 19 civilians were killed and several others injured.

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From Popayán, where an extraordinary security meeting was held, Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the deployment of additional units to strategic corridors and the expansion of control operations along the Pan-American Highway, the site of a recent attack.

The current deployment includes more than 13 armored cavalry platoons and 12 infantry platoons, supported by specialized units of the National Police. Two additional platoons will be added with the specific mandate of securing mobility and maintaining control over critical sections of the highway that links the region to the rest of the country.

Text Reads: Immediate response from the Colombian Army (@COL_EJERCITO) to the terrorist attacks in Cauca. In recent hours, troops engaged in combat against criminal groups in the municipality of Corinto.

Authorities confirmed a preliminary toll of 19 civilians killed. The National Institute of Legal Medicine continues efforts to identify the victims, while medical teams provide care to the injured, including minors.

The Ministry of Interior stated on X: “After recent attacks in Valle del Cauca, the response is immediate and forceful: we will not cede a single space to crime.”

Defence Minister Sánchez directly attributed responsibility for the violence, saying: “The killers are the narco-terrorists of the dissident cartel of alias ‘Iván Mordisco’ operating in this region.”

He added that the armed response “is due to the weakness and cowardice of those who feel cornered” by ongoing military operations in northern Cauca.

Text Reads: Blow to drug trafficking in El Cauca: 900 kilos of cocaine removed from the criminal underworld

As part of the government response, authorities announced a reward of up to 1,000 million pesos for information leading to the location of individuals identified as alias ‘Farley’, ‘David’, ‘Mi Pez’, and ‘Jairo Ramírez’.

Security forces are also intensifying operations in commercial zones and along main roads, aimed at controlling movement, disrupting criminal activity, and identifying individuals wanted by judicial authorities. Officials stated: “The intelligence bubble against these criminals is being strengthened to accelerate their neutralization.”

The minister also urged the public to cooperate with authorities through the 157 hotline.

Text Reads: Here we are, as the Departmental Government at the forefront of the situation, supporting our people in this moment of profound sorrow.

Cauca Governor Octavio Guzmán backed the institutional response and highlighted the resilience of local communities to overcome “pain, fear and uncertainty with institutional support.”

The government said these measures form part of a broader strategy to restore territorial control in a region long affected by armed conflict, with continued military operations in rural and nearby municipalities aimed at preventing further violence and neutralizing armed groups.

Authorities said security operations will remain active across Cauca as the state expands efforts to reassert control and prevent further attacks.

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