Images of the attack revealed.
News Colombia.
On September 1, an attack allegedly carried out by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN) in Tame, Arauca, resulted in the death of soldiers Jaider Augusto Quimbayo Rondon and Luis Angel Pushaina.
The officers, belonging to the Rafael Navas Pardo Combat Engineer Battalion of the Eighteenth Brigade, were at a road checkpoint between the municipalities of Tame and La Cabuya when they were ambushed by armed individuals.
“Almost a week to really know what happened”
Ten days after the attack, new images of the exact moment of the ambush are circulating on social media.
In the video, which quickly went viral, the attackers can be seen getting out of a high-end pickup truck and firing long-range weapons at the soldiers.
The attack, which lasted about a minute and a half, shows the brutality with which the ELN acted, leaving the military with no opportunity to defend themselves.
For its part, the National Army expressed its condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.
“The memory of these heroes drives us to continue working tirelessly for the peace and security of the population,” the military authorities said in a statement.
The escalation of the conflict in Arauca
This attack is part of an escalation of violence by the ELN in the Arauca region, which includes sabotage of critical infrastructure such as the Caño Limón-Coveñas oil pipeline and attacks on vulnerable communities.
The Ombudsman’s Office had warned of the worsening of the conflict in the area, pointing to an increase in homicides, forced disappearances and kidnappings.
Between January and August 2024, more than 110 cases of disappearances have been recorded in the department, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis facing the region.
The Ombudsman has urgently called on the Government to take effective measures to protect the affected communities and mitigate the impact of the armed conflict in Arauca, which continues to leave a toll of lost lives and a climate of uncertainty among the inhabitants.
What peace is this government talking about? Because I don’t see it. 2 soldiers were killed on September 1st in Tame, Arauca. Today, this video was released in which, according to ELN authorities, dressed in civilian clothes, they arrive in a van and kill them. I just can’t. 💔 pic.twitter.com/OxjSXdppyk
— Diana Coronado (@lacoronadation) September 11, 2024
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