- More than a thousand men of the Military Forces will arrive tomorrow in these departments.
- "Colombia cannot accept that a price is put on the life of a hero of the homeland”: Defense Minister.
- 101 arrests and 11 neutralizations have been achieved in the last month against the GAO Clan del Golfo.
In view of a possible armed strike in Sucre, Bolívar, Córdoba, Antioquia and César, the Minister of National Defense, Diego Molano, chaired a security meeting in Sincelejo. There he was accompanied by the military and police high command, regional commanders of the Military Forces and regional authorities.
First of all, the head of the Ministry of Defense, expressed solidarity with the families of the police officers and soldiers beaten in recent days and called these facts as “insane acts” of the Organized Armed Group, GAO, Clan del Golfo, “who seek to position themselves politically”: Molano said.
"President Duque's instruction is clear to maintain the operation against the GAO Clan del Golfo and the GAO ELN, therefore, we were determining the additional operations to be conducted, especially against alias Siopas, Chiquito Malo and Gonzalito, the main ringleaders of those groups that want to position themselves by hitmen attacks,” said the minister.
On the other hand, Molano announced a reward of up to 50 million pesos for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of alias Cherimoya, alias Champeta, alias Veterino, alias Ricardo or Zapata, alias Jerome or Tigre and alias Manati, perpetrators of criminal acts against the Military Forces.
In addition, a special operation was announced by the Military Forces to prevent attacks against citizens, including any operation to restrict both mobility and commercial activity.
“We announce the arrival of 800 men to these departments, specifically to do work in the municipalities hit hardest, to contribute to the prevention and protection of the police facilities (...) we have In the same way sent 350 men of the National Army arriving tomorrow, especially to the South of Cesar and the South of Bolívar, and the Navy Infantry will send 650 additional men, who will work in The Mojana Sucreña region, and in the same way on the Montes de María region,” said Molano.
In turn, the importance of coordinated work conducted by the Military Forces and citizens was reiterated, with the rewards program for those who provide information that helps prevent hitmen acts against the Military Forces; the beginning of joint patrols conducted by the Army and the National Police in the targeted areas was announced.
Finally, Minister Molano called for coordination for the upcoming Unified Command Posts and security councils to prevent criminal operations of the illegal armed groups.
"With all our forces, until the last day, until three in the afternoon, on the seventh of August, we will maintain this campaign, because we are not going to permit that some madmen, who have sought to unite, intimidate the inhabitants. We will arrest them and bring them to justice,” Molano concluded.
Source: Defense Sector Communications Office - Ministry of National Defense
