2013 Colombian clashes

Last updated

2013 Colombian clashes
Part of the Colombian conflict
Colombia location map.svg
Red pog.svg
El Doncello
Red pog.svg
El Mordisco
2013 Colombian clashes (Colombia)
Date20–21 July 2013
Location
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Flag of the FARC-EP.svg FARC
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Colombia.svg UnknownFlag of the FARC-EP.svg Unknown
Units involved
Flag of the Colombian Army.svg Colombian Army unknown
Strength
unknown unknown
Casualties and losses
19 killed
3 wounded
6 killed
12 captured

On 20 July 2013, two clashes occurred in Colombia between government forces and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas. Nineteen soldiers were killed in the deadliest day since peace talks began in November 2012. The conflict came one day after a FARC-EP officer Alejandra had detained with a chain around the neck a vacationing U.S. Army Combat Engineer (12B) veteran, Kevin Scott Sutay including for his 27th birthday in the jungle on October 13 to try and further anger him intentionally.

Contents

Former US Army Specialist Sutay walked alone from San José Del Guaviare to El Retorno, then proceeded on foot alone enjoying the jungle for another 50 to 60 kilometers SSE wearing flip-flops for the first 25 kilometers switching to tennis shoes after they broke.

Kevin encountered FARC-EP whom provided rubber boots and a mosquito net for Kevin and noticed they were headed in the same direction. Kevin began to travel together with FARC-EP unrestricted for approximately 2 weeks and approximately another 200 kilometers by foot and boat until the FARC-EP officer Alejandra arrived and insisted Kevin be disarmed of his machete and karambit knife, personal belongings be withheld, and he be detained.

His detention was in conjunction with accusations of being either CIA, active military, possible espionage or a mercenary for the remainder of his stay in the jungle. Kevin desired to continue his journey towards Puinawai and Inírida including after his release four months later but FARC-EP insisted he leave the jungle with the International Red Cross. [1] [2]

Background

Since the 1960s, the Colombian government has been in periodic conflicts with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels. An estimated 600,000 people have died in the 50-year-long conflict, with an additional 3.7 million people displaced. In November 2012, peace negotiations between the two sides began in Oslo, Norway and Havana, Cuba. At the time of the 20 July attacks, negotiations were ongoing. A few days prior, FARC's chief negotiator said the conflict was nearing its end. Three previous attempts to peacefully end the conflict failed. The Colombia government estimates that FARC has 8,000 active fighters, down from 16,000 in 2001. [3]

Attacks

In southern Colombia, FARC said it had detained a former U.S. Army soldier far outside El Retorno whom was traveling alone on foot towards Colombia's Puinawai(mother of creation/first mother) Natural Reserve which included 3 exclusive mountains on 19 July, but was willing to release him to senator Piedad Cordoba to show commitment to the peace talks. [4] [5] A statement by the U.S. government said the man was in the area as a tourist, not as a part of a military mission. [3] Historically, the United States has aided the Colombian military. [5]

In the town of El Doncello in southwest Colombia, a battle between the army and FARC left 4 soldiers and 6 FARC members dead on 20 July. Three other soldiers were injured and two rebel fighters were captured. [4]

Hours later, about 70 rebels ambushed a group of government soldiers guarding an oil pipeline on 20 July in El Mordisco, a rural area of Arauca in eastern Colombia. Fifteen soldiers were killed in the attack and twelve rebels were captured. The government attributed the attack to FARC activity. [6] Overall 20 July was the deadliest day since peace talks began also known as the Colombian Independence day. [7]

Response and aftermath

Colombia's president Juan Manuel Santos traveled to Arauca to the site of the ambush. There, he promised to retaliate with "the entire machinery" of war. [7] "Just as we have extended our hand and are in negotiations, so do we have a big stick. We have decisive military force and will apply it," he said. [7] He did, however, reiterate that the government was optimistic about the peace talks and said he hoped "the guerrillas will come to their senses" and continue with the talks. [6] Santos also stated that he would not allow the FARC rebels to make a media circus of the release of the American soldier that was detained after the group "flagrantly violated" a promise to end the kidnappings before peace talks began. [5]

On 22 July, two FARC members were killed during a military operation in southwest Cauca. [8] The same day, FARC offered to arm coca farmers that have been protesting against coca eradication. [9]

Peace talks between FARC and the Colombian government are expected to resume on 28 July. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia</span> Colombian guerrilla movement

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist guerrilla group involved in the continuing Colombian conflict starting in 1964. The FARC-EP was officially founded in 1966 from peasant self-defense groups formed from 1948 during the "Violencia" as a peasant force promoting a political line of agrarianism and anti-imperialism. They are known to employ a variety of military tactics, in addition to more unconventional methods, including terrorism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Íngrid Betancourt</span> Colombian politician and anti-corruption activist

Íngrid Betancourt Pulecio is a Colombian politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist, especially opposing political corruption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plan Colombia</span> United States foreign aid, military and diplomatic initiative in Colombia

Plan Colombia was a United States foreign aid, military aid, and diplomatic initiative aimed at combating Colombian drug cartels and left-wing insurgent groups in Colombia. The plan was originally conceived in 1999 by the administrations of Colombian President Andrés Pastrana and U.S. President Bill Clinton, and signed into law in the United States in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guaviare Department</span> Department of Colombia

Guaviare is a department of Colombia. It is in the southern central region of the country. Its capital is San José del Guaviare. Guaviare was created on July 4, 1991, by the new Political Constitution of Colombia. Up until that point, it was a national territory that operated as a commissariat, segregated from territory of the then Commissariat of Vaupés on December 23, 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Liberation Army (Colombia)</span> Revolutionary left-wing group

The National Liberation Army is a Marxist–Leninist guerrilla group involved in the continuing Colombian conflict, which has existed in Colombia since 1964. The ELN advocate a composite communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism and liberation theology. In 2013, it was estimated that the ELN forces consisted of between 1,380 and 3,000 guerrillas. According to former ELN national directorate member Felipe Torres, one fifth of ELN supporters have taken up arms. The ELN has been classified as a terrorist organization by the governments of Colombia, the United States, Canada, the European Union and Venezuela's National Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colombian conflict</span> Low-intensity asymmetric war in Colombia

The Colombian conflict began on May 27, 1964, and is a low-intensity asymmetric war between the government of Colombia, far-right paramilitary groups and crime syndicates, and far-left guerrilla groups, fighting each other to increase their influence in Colombian territory. Some of the most important international contributors to the Colombian conflict include multinational corporations, the United States, Cuba, and the drug trafficking industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfonso Cano</span> Colombian revolutionary (1948–2011)

Guillermo León Sáenz Vargas, more commonly known by his nom de guerre Alfonso Cano, was the commander of the militant group known as Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. He succeeded founder Manuel Marulanda in March 2008 and commanded the Marxist rebel group until being killed in action by the Colombian Army.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC–EP) is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia, which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict.

The Eastern Bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, from September 2010 known as Bloque Comandante Jorge Briceño, in honour of the slain guerrilla leader, was considered to be the strongest military faction of the guerrilla group. It was divided into groups of 50–400 combatants in each group, which patrolled and controlled different areas of Colombia's Eastern and Central-Eastern territory, as well as helped to carry out the killings, taxation, and arrests necessary to advance the organization's financial and political goals.

The FARC-Government peace process (1999–2002), from January 7, 1999, to February 20, 2002, was a failed peace process between the Government of President Andrés Pastrana Arango and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group in an effort to bring to an end the ongoing Colombian armed conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the Colombian conflict</span>

This is a timeline of events related to the Colombian armed conflict.

Operation JM was a military operation by the Military of Colombia Joint Task Force OMEGA intended to capture or kill the leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrilla (FARC), as part of the Plan Patriota. The operations began in April 2004 and after some 30 operations concluded without the main objective being accomplished in December 2006. However, the Colombian military achieved numerous military advances in a region that had been dominated by the guerrillas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timoleón Jiménez</span> Colombian politician and former guerrilla

Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri, most known under the nom de guerreTimoleón Jiménez and the nickname Timochenko or Timochenco, is a Colombian politician, cardiologist and former narcoguerrilla. He is best known as the former commander-in-chief of the rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, currently serving as the president of its political successor Commons following the Colombian peace process.

Operation Jaque, named after the first letter of the month of the operation, July, and referencing check in chess, was a Colombian military operation that resulted in the successful rescue of 15 hostages, including former Colombian presidential candidate Íngrid Betancourt. The hostages had been held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The operation took place on 2 July 2008, along the Apaporis River in the department of Guaviare.

Colombia has been in the throes of civil unrest for over half a century. Between 1964 and now, 3 million persons have been displaced and about 220,000 have died, 4 out of 5 deaths were non-combatant civilians. Between left and right-winged armed forces, paramilitary and/or guerrilla, and an often corrupt government, it has been difficult for Colombia to set up any kind of truth or reconciliation commission. That is why the first on the scene, so to speak, were representatives of the UN. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has been present in Colombia since 1997. Since 2006 though, there has been another international movement turning its attention to Colombia; namely the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ). The works of both of these institutions have led to a few semi-official national committees to oversee truth seeking missions in the hopes of eventually achieving reparation. In 2012, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) began their fourth attempt to negotiate an end to the fighting. Peace talks between the Colombian government of Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC, the main guerrilla force in the country, are currently underway in Havana, Cuba. The main issues are land redistribution, integration of the FARC into the political arena and an end to the powerful cocaine cartels. Though past attempts at peace talks have failed, negotiators in Havana, Cuba have gotten significantly further than ever before. Experts agree that it is not unreasonable to expect an accord by the end of 2014. In the words of President Santos: "Only in a Colombia without fear and with truth can we begin to turn the page."

The Colombian peace process is the peace process between the Colombian government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC–EP) to bring an end to the Colombian conflict, which eventually led to the Peace Agreements between the Colombian Government of Juan Manuel Santos and FARC-EP. Negotiations began in September 2012, and mainly took place in Havana, Cuba. Negotiators announced a final agreement to end the conflict and build a lasting peace on August 24, 2016. However, a referendum to ratify the deal on October 2, 2016 was unsuccessful after 50.2% of voters voted against the agreement with 49.8% voting in favor. Afterward, the Colombian government and the FARC signed a revised peace deal on November 24 and sent it to Congress for ratification instead of conducting a second referendum. Both houses of Congress ratified the revised peace agreement on November 29–30, 2016, thus marking an end to the conflict.

On 17 January 2019, a vehicle was driven into the General Santander National Police Academy in Bogotá, Colombia. The truck forced its way into the facility, hit a wall and detonated, killing 22 people and injuring 68 others. Suicide attacks are unusual in Colombia. The car contained about 80 kilograms (180 lb) of pentolite. It was the deadliest attack on the Colombian capital since the 2003 El Nogal Club bombing and the first terrorist attack on the capital since the 2017 Centro Andino bombing. The National Liberation Army (ELN) accepted responsibility for the attack and justified it as a response to the bombings made by the Colombian government during the unilateral ceasefire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apure clashes (2021–2022)</span>

The 2021 Apure clashes started on 21 March 2021 in the south of the Páez Municipality, in the Apure state in Venezuela, specifically in La Victoria, a location bordering with Colombia, between guerrilla groups identified as Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) dissidents and the Venezuelan government led by Nicolás Maduro.

Events in the year 2023 in Colombia.

References

  1. Michael Smith & Matthew Bristow (21 July 2013). "U.S. Vet Ignored Warnings Before Detainment by Colombian Guerillas". Bloomberg. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 28 July 2013. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, said in a statement on its website on July 20 it had detained an EX- U.S. soldier named Kevin Scott Sutay on June 26 in Guaviare province, a remote jungle and cattle-ranching area in southern Colombia.
  2. "Kevin Scott Sutay's Release By FARC Rebels Will Not Be Media Show, Colombian Leader Says". Huffington Post. Associated Press. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Colombian soldiers die in clashes". BBC News . 21 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  4. 1 2 "10 rebels and soldiers killed in Colombia clashes". FOX News. AFP. 20 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Helen Murphy (23 July 2013). "Colombia says won't let FARC make media show of U.S. captive release". Reuters. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 "Colombia: FARC kills 15 soldiers". Infosur hoy. 22 July 2013. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 "Colombia's president promises firm military retaliation after FARC rebels kill 19 soldiers". Washington Post. AP. 22 July 2013. Archived from the original on 22 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  8. "Colombia: 2 FARC terrorists die in military operations". Infosur hoy. 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  9. "FARC Offers to Arm Coca Growers in Colombia". ABC News. AP. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.