Dozens of Soldiers Captured by Civilians in Colombia's Micay Canyon

In the mountainous Micay Canyon in southwestern Colombia, 57 soldiers were kidnapped by civilians, according to military officials. The abduction occurred in two phases: 31 soldiers were captured on Saturday and an additional group on Sunday, involving more than 200 locals. The Colombian military attributes the civilians' actions to pressure from dissident members of the Farc rebel group, which had previously signed a peace agreement with the government in 2016. Brigadier General Federico Alberto Mejía described the incident as a clear case of kidnapping while local news outlets suggest that the EMC, a faction of the Farc, might be behind the events.

General Erik Rodríguez noted that the captives were detained after soldiers attempted to airlift a suspected rebel from the area, leading to their encirclement by a large crowd. As negotiations for the soldiers' release proceed, the region, notorious for cocaine production, remains unstable. The military has been active in the area since October, working to curb armed groups and their influence, but the overwhelming majority of residents rely on coca cultivation for their livelihoods. The current government has been attempting peace talks with the EMC, despite internal divisions within the group and ongoing criminal activities like drug trafficking and extortion.