Colombia Kills Top FARC Dissident Commander in Cauca Operation
President Abelardo de la Espriella called the death of the commander known as 'Felipe' or 'Arcadio' a crushing blow against the Iván Mordisco faction.
Colombian soldiers killed a key commander of FARC dissident factions in a military operation in the country's southwest on Sunday, President Abelardo de la Espriella announced. The commander, known by the aliases 'Felipe' and 'Arcadio,' operated in Cauca, a region described as volatile due to ongoing armed group activity.
President De la Espriella called the death a 'crushing blow' against the dissident faction led by 'Iván Mordisco.' The operation is the latest in a series of security moves by the new government, which took office in August and has made dismantling armed groups a central pillar of its agenda.
Cauca has long been one of Colombia's most conflict-affected departments, and the elimination of a senior commander signals an early test of the De la Espriella administration's willingness to pursue military solutions against dissident factions that rejected the 2016 peace process.
Reportado por El Paisa, nuestro corresponsal colombiano.