Colombia to launch army operation in opposition to armed teams on border By Reuters

BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia will launch a army offensive in opposition to unlawful armed teams working in border areas, and it’s searching for collaboration from neighbors, Inside Minister Alfonso Prada (OTC:) mentioned on Monday.

The South American nation has been rocked by virtually six a long time of inside battle, leaving no less than 450,000 lifeless.

President Gustavo Petro, the primary leftist to steer the nation, who took energy in August, not too long ago restarted peace talks with the Nationwide Liberation Military (ELN) guerrilla group, with negotiations in Venezuela, whereas additionally trying to implement a 2016 peace take care of now-demobilized FARC guerrillas.

Underneath plans for complete peace, Petro additionally hopes to finish combating with two dissident FARC factions who reject that peace deal, whereas drug traffickers and legal gangs concerned in cocaine manufacturing and trafficking may obtain decreased jail sentences in the event that they undergo justice, share particulars about trafficking routes, and switch over their fortunes.

“We now have established contact with the nations on the border, as a result of we seen exercise on the border that we’re going to fight with our forces, but in addition with the worldwide collaboration of Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela and Panama,” Prada informed journalists.

The goal is to confront legal teams working internationally with focuses in varied unlawful industries, which requires collaboration with different nations, Prada mentioned.

Six platoons of 400 personnel every will probably be deployed to the south of the nation, Prada added. Latest combating within the area between two factions of FARC dissidents over management of drug trafficking left no less than 18 individuals lifeless.

Safety sources mentioned in depth crops of coca – the primary ingredient in cocaine – have been detected alongside Colombia’s borders, as have laboratories for producing the drug. In addition they reported that unlawful armed teams concerned in drug trafficking and with ties to Mexican cartels are working within the area.