Following the release of 28 police officers and one soldier who had been taken captive in southwest Colombia, tensions in the coca-producing region flared up again.
Residents of the Cauca department’s La Hacienda community informed the captives that they were free to leave at approximately noon on Saturday.
AFP observed the guys, who had been detained since Thursday, gathering their riot gear and departing on a muddy road accompanied by locals.
An unidentifiable drone flew over the caravan throughout the stressful three-hour drive to El Plateado, where the prisoners were released, and there were heated clashes between Ombudsman’s Office personnel and the townspeople.
“We’re back, my colonel!” said one of the released soldiers before embracing his comrades, AFP witnessed.
President Gustavo Petro verified the men’s freedom in a post on the social media site X.
Following a day of fighting between locals and security personnel, the 29 men were taken into custody on Thursday as part of a government military operation to put an end to drug-related violence in an area that has one of Colombia’s largest densities of coca fields.
According to the authorities, the policemen are being taken captive by the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), a rebellious FARC guerrilla faction that has a stronghold in the Canon del Micay region.
A community center was the location of the troops’ captivity. According to their accounts, they were watched day and night, fed every day, and shared a single bathroom without a shower.
Diego Alvarez, one of the men in custody, described those days as “anxious.” “I don’t even know what day it is today.”
Major Nilson Bedoya stated while he was leaving La Hacienda that he could not help but think about his family during the incident.
“My family, my wife, my son, who are waiting for me at home,” he said, in a pained voice, as he carried his gear on his shoulder.
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