FAN activity has increased in Apure in recent months, after a series of clashes took place in mid-2021 with armed groups that had settled in the area, described by the authorities as Colombian Armed Terrorists Drug Traffickers (Tancol)
The Operational Strategic Commander of the National Armed Forces (Ceofan), Domingo Hernández Lárez, reported on a defense operation in Apure that culminated in the shooting down of a plane that was flying over the national territory without permission or notification.
Through its twitter accountthe General in Chief explained that the operation was carried out in a vegetal area of the Rómulo Gallegos municipality and called the aircraft a “target of hostile interest” neutralized for not complying with national regulations.
“The FAN neutralizes the aircraft through the immobilization action for lacking a flight plan, not being identified, having the transponder disconnected and not having been authorized by the air traffic services units to operate in that area,” he reasoned.
Additionally, Hernández Lárez stated that they suspected that the plane was used by “groups that generate violence” in that border security area, due to its proximity to Colombia, for drug trafficking activities.
“It is presumed that it was being used by groups that generate violence in the state’s border security zone for the cross-border crime of drug trafficking, transfer of irregular elements and weapons,” he added.
*Read also: FAN locates more than 44,000 liters of fuel buried in Bolívar
In another publication, the military corps official confirmed that this neutralization was the 33rd carried out by the FAN so far in 2023. On the other hand, 336 aircraft have been intercepted since 2012.
«The national territory may never be ceded, transferred, leased, or in any way alienated, even temporarily or partially, to foreign States or other subjects of international law, much less to transcriminal groups of international terrorism. The Venezuelan geographical space is a zone of peace”, he stressed.
The national territory may never be ceded, transferred, leased, or in any way alienated, even temporarily or partially, to foreign States or other subjects of international law, much less to transcriminal groups of international terrorism.
Space… pic.twitter.com/x56hQ2JJmI—G.J. Domingo Hernandez Larez (@dhernandezlarez) June 11, 2023
FAN activity has increased in Apure in recent months, after a series of clashes took place in mid-2021 with armed groups that had settled in the area, described by the authorities as Colombian Armed Terrorists Drug Traffickers (Tancol).
On April 9, Hernández Lárez highlighted the “titanic” efforts of Ceofan for its operations in Apure, after reporting that they located an explosive device with shrapnel in the area.
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