Kidnapping Crisis: 57 Colombian Soldiers Abducted in Micay Canyon

In a significant incident in Colombia's Micay Canyon, 57 soldiers were kidnapped over the weekend by a large group of civilians, believed to be influenced by dissident rebels of the Farc group. The military's response highlights the ongoing conflict in this drug-trafficking area.

Dozens of soldiers in Colombia are facing a kidnapping crisis after 57 were reportedly seized by civilians in the southwestern Micay Canyon. According to the Colombian military, the abductions took place over the weekend, with 31 soldiers kidnapped on Saturday, followed by the seizure of the remaining personnel on Sunday by a group reportedly consisting of over 200 people. This alarming incident is attributed to the growing pressure from dissidents affiliated with the Farc rebel group, which previously entered into a peace agreement with the government in 2016.

Brig Gen Federico Alberto Mejia, in a video statement shared via social media, confirmed that a total of four non-commissioned officers and 53 enlisted soldiers are now captives. "This is called kidnapping," he emphasized, shedding light on the severity of the situation. Sources from local media suggest that the EMC rebel group, the largest faction separated from Farc, could be implicated in orchestrating these kidnappings, although no official statement has been released by the EMC.

The Micay Canyon region has gained notoriety as a major hub for cocaine production and remains one of the most volatile areas in Colombia amid the ongoing conflict with various rebel factions. The canyon is a key route for transporting cocaine to Pacific ports, from where it is subsequently shipped to international markets. As the situation unfolds, it highlights the precarious balance between peace efforts and persistent violence driven by drug trafficking in Colombia.