Colombia is a war zone, with all the dramatic consequences that brings. Colombia’s People’s Defense Office (ombudsman) on Saturday reported the deaths of six minors in army bombings targeting guerrilla groups last week in the Amazon region of southern Colombia.
Under pressure from the United States, which is demanding more action against drug trafficking, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has intensified his offensive against armed groups with bombings that killed 28 people last week, the deadliest on Tuesday in the Guaviare forestry department with 19 people killed.
In an audio message sent to the press on Saturday, the People’s Defender, Iris Marín, reported “the death of six minors who were victims of forced recruitment” during aerial bombings targeting dissident groups from the former FARC.
“All this is very regrettable, it is a war, painful and inhumane, which affects the most vulnerable groups: minors recruited due to lack of protection and now turned into military targets,” lamented Iris Marín in her message, without providing further details about the ages of the victims.
Public enemy number 1
Iris Marín is in charge of the dissident faction of the former Farc, known by the acronym EMC (Central Staff) and led by the most wanted man in the country, aka Ivan Mordisco.
“Military forces must take all precautions to protect children” based on international principles that “require very careful evaluation of means and methods of warfare to avoid disproportionate or unnecessary harm,” the Ombudsman commented.
On Tuesday, the army announced the “rescue” of three minors held by insurgents.
Local media said it was possible the miners were killed in the latest operation. “Anyone involved in hostilities will lose all protection, without any distinction. It is not age that kills, but the weapon itself,” said Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez
