A metal decoy that simulated an explosive was destroyed in the Huila-Cauca road corridor thanks to a citizen alert.
The Army neutralized a cylinder-type decoy found in Puente Valencia, the border between Huila and Cauca
The rapid reaction of the troops and the timely citizen alert made it possible to neutralize a new threat in the road corridor that connects the departments of Huila and Caucaa region where the presence of illegal armed groups constantly tries to alter the tranquility of the inhabitants and the mobility between both territories.
In the last hours, soldiers of the Infantry Battalion No. 26 Cacique Pigoanza, assigned to the Ninth Brigade, They destroyed in a controlled manner a cylinder-type decoy that simulated containing an explosive device, avoiding a possible risk for the civilian population and for the transporters that frequently travel the I-24 route.
The discovery occurred in the sector known as Puente Valencia, a strategic point of high vehicular traffic that marks the limit between the two departments. There, an abandoned metal cylinder generated concern among residents and drivers passing through the area, who immediately reported the situation through the Citizen Participation Network.
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This community support tool has been key to alerting authorities about strange movements or suspicious elements that could be associated with the activities of residual armed groups, especially those linked to the structure that calls itself a faction of Iván Mordisco’s group.
Once the information was received, the troops moved to the site to implement an extensive security device that would guarantee the integrity of the residents and the protection of installed strategic assets in that sector.
The first step was to cordon off the area and temporarily suspend vehicular traffic, in order to allow the specialized work of the EXDE anti-explosive team, in charge of analyzing and check if the object represented a real threat.
The expert personnel applied the corresponding protocol, beginning with the inspection using a canine pair trained to detect explosive substances; Later they used tools as a hook and rope, necessary to mobilize the cylinder without risking the lives of the uniformed personnel.
It was there when the specialists determined that it was a decoy, a device designed to appear to be a handmade bomb and generate terror, but that did not contain any type of explosive charge inside.
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Even so, following security guidelines, the element was destroyed in a controlled manner, preventing it from being reused or manipulated by third parties. According to the first hypotheses, the cylinder would have been intentionally abandoned by alleged members of an Iván Mordisco faction with the aim of creating anxiety among the community and hindering mobility in this road corridor.
The National Army rejected this type of actions that, although they do not contain explosives, seek to generate fear and destabilize the tranquility of rural populations and transporters that depend on this pathway for your daily supply.
The institution also highlighted the fundamental role of the Citizen Participation Network, which has become a strategic ally to detect irregular situations in time and prevent events that could put communities at risk.
Source: Integrated Information System
