The Colombian military has confirmed that a group of more than 200 civilians in the volatile Micay Canyon region in the southwest kidnapped 57 soldiers over the weekend.
Saturday saw the capture of thirty-one soldiers; on Sunday another twenty-six were held.
The army asserts the civilians were acting under duress from FARC insurgents, especially the EMC rebel group, which has not reacted.
Brig. Gen. Federico MejÃa stated simply of the event, “This is called kidnapping.”
A major drug route, the Micay Canyon is used to move cocaine to Pacific ports, therefore becoming a hot spot for armed confrontation notwithstanding a 2016 peace agreement with the FARC.
The event highlights how often rebellious groups and drug dealers affect Colombia’s most volatile areas.
