logo
57 soldiers rescued after being kidnapped in southwest Colombia, World News

57 soldiers rescued after being kidnapped in southwest Colombia, World News

AsiaOne24-06-2025
BOGOTA — The Colombian army and police rescued 57 soldiers held for two days in a mountainous southwestern region that is under pressure from leftist guerrillas, the military said on X on Monday (June 23).
The troops were detained near the village of El Plateado in Cauca province, a strategic area for drug trafficking where security forces launched an operation in October 2024 to expel illegal armed groups.
The region is a stronghold of a dissident faction of the former FARC guerrilla group, which rejected a 2016 peace deal. Authorities accuse the group of recruiting minors and pressuring civilians to resist the presence of state forces.
[[nid:719369]]
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Colombian police capture suspect in attack on Senator Uribe, sources say
Colombian police capture suspect in attack on Senator Uribe, sources say

Straits Times

timean hour ago

  • Straits Times

Colombian police capture suspect in attack on Senator Uribe, sources say

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: A picture of Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay of the opposition Democratic Center party is seen at a tribute at a place where he was shot during a campaign event, in Bogota, Colombia, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez/File Photo BOGOTA - Colombian police have captured a fugitive accused of involvement in last month's attack on Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential candidate, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Saturday, marking the fifth arrest in the case. Elder Jose Arteaga, known as El Costeño, was arrested on suspicion of inducing the 15-year-old charged with shooting the politician at a rally in Colombia's capital Bogota on June 7 to commit the crime, the sources said. Arteaga, who the two sources said has a long criminal record, was detained in a neighborhood in western Bogota, a day after Colombian police said Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest. Colombian police chief Carlos Fernando Triana said in a post on social media on Friday that Arteaga was wanted for "aggravated attempted homicide; manufacture, trafficking and carrying of firearms or ammunition; and use of minors for the commission of crimes." Uribe - a 39-year-old presidential pre-candidate for the conservative opposition Democratic Center party - was shot twice in the head and once in his left leg, according to state prosecutors. He has undergone several serious surgeries since the attack, which left him in critical condition. The 15-year-old alleged shooter was arrested minutes after the attack, and three others have since been arrested. REUTERS

US, Colombia recall their ambassadors in diplomatic tussle
US, Colombia recall their ambassadors in diplomatic tussle

Straits Times

time2 days ago

  • Straits Times

US, Colombia recall their ambassadors in diplomatic tussle

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox WASHINGTON - The United States has recalled its top diplomat from the U.S. embassy in Bogota over statements it said were made at high levels of the Colombian government, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday, prompting the South American country to also recall its ambassador to the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration recalled Chargé d'Affaires ad interim John McNamara "for urgent consultations following baseless and reprehensible statements from the highest levels of the Government of Colombia," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. "In addition to the recall of the Chargé, the United States is pursuing other measures to make clear our deep concern over the current state of our bilateral relationship." The State Department did not specify which comments it took issue with or what other measures were being pursued by Washington. After Washington's announcement, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that he was recalling Colombia's ambassador to the U.S., Daniel Garcia-Pena. In a lengthy post on X, Petro said the diplomat should come back to discuss the two countries' bilateral agenda, listing priorities such as climate cooperation, anti-narcotics efforts and migration policy. Colombia's foreign ministry said Minister Laura Sarabia, who announced her resignation on Thursday, is "in communication with the United States while she is in office until they designate a new foreign minister who will be in charge of the matter." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seller's stamp duty rates for private homes raised; holding period increased from 3 years to 4 Singapore 193ha of land off Changi to be reclaimed for aviation park; area reduced to save seagrass meadow Business More Singapore residents met CPF Required Retirement Sum when they turned 55 in 2024 Singapore PAP questions Pritam's interview with Malaysian podcast, WP says PAP opposing for the sake of opposing Sport 'Pedal to the metal' for next 2 years, says Singaporean powerlifter Farhanna Farid Singapore 1 in 4 appeals to waive HDB wait-out period for private home owners approved since Sept 2022 Sport A true fans' player – Liverpool supporters in Singapore pay tribute to late Diogo Jota Singapore Healthcare facility planned for site of Ang Mo Kio Public Library after it moves to AMK Hub U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a rebuke to Colombia's government last month after Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender and a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party, was shot in Bogota. Rubio said the shooting of Uribe was "the result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government." Uribe has been undergoing repeated serious surgeries since the shooting, which left him in critical condition. In January, Trump and Petro clashed over Colombia's refusal to accept military aircraft carrying deported migrants, prompting Trump to threaten tariffs and sanctions. But the two countries managed to pull back from the brink of a trade war and overcome the impasse. Petro at the time had condemned the military deportation flights and said he would never carry out a raid to return handcuffed Americans to the U.S. "We are the opposite of the Nazis," he wrote in a post on social media platform X. Colombia is the third-largest U.S. trading partner in Latin America. The U.S. is Colombia's largest trading partner, largely due to a 2006 free trade agreement that generated $33.8 billion in two-way trade in 2023 and a $1.6 billion U.S. trade surplus, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. REUTERS

Colombian foreign minister resigns amid passport printing row
Colombian foreign minister resigns amid passport printing row

Straits Times

time2 days ago

  • Straits Times

Colombian foreign minister resigns amid passport printing row

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Colombian Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia attends a press conference for a ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, in Beijing, China May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo BOGOTA - Colombia's Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia announced her resignation on Thursday, as President Gustavo Petro's government faces turbulence over an administrative dispute involving the printing of national passports. Sarabia had expressed dissatisfaction with the government's decision to alter a previous passport printing agreement. "In the last few days, decisions have been made that I do not agree with," Sarabia wrote in a post on X, adding that she had decided to resign out of "personal coherence and institutional respect." Sarabia, who had previously served as Petro's chief of staff, was named the South American country's top diplomat by the leftist president in January. REUTERS

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store