2023-09-17 01:15:15
In the early hours of this Saturday, what would be an ambush was recorded against men of the National Army who were in the Las Cruces village of the Santa Rosa district, two hours from the urban area of the municipality of Cumbitara (Nariño). As a result, four soldiers lost their lives at the scene and it is not ruled out that those responsible were FARC dissidents, given that the Franco Benavides structure operates in the area.
Residents of the region indicated that after midnight a loud explosion was heard, followed by rifle and machine gun bursts.
“The soldiers, on Saturday, camped in this area, they have been there for a few days. Men from the FARC were also in the upper part of the mountain,” said one resident of the Las Cruces village, who fled the place in his car due to fear of the clashes.
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This afternoon, the Army confirmed what happened and revealed the identities of the four soldiers who lost their lives. These are Lieutenant José Rafael Martínez Mórelo and soldiers Juan Carlos Silva, Jean Carlos Yaguara and Jhan Sandoval Sandoval.
We reject the vile murder of our soldiers, Lieutenant José Martínez Morelo, the professional soldiers Juan Silva Argumedo, Jean Yaguara Yépez and Jhan Sandoval Sandoval, who were carrying out military operations for the safety of the population of #Narino pic.twitter.com/HFTgsL0Hnq
— National Army of Colombia (@COL_EJERCITO)
September 16, 2023
The bodies were transferred to an uncovered place where personnel from the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) of the Prosecutor’s Office carried out the inspection and recognition.
A witness indicated that they were transported by helicopter to an undetermined location and it is assumed that they will arrive at the morgue of the Institute of Legal Medicine in Pasto, where an autopsy will be performed.
It should be noted that the Army, via helicopter, reinforced the military presence with the arrival of at least 50 men to the area. That version is handled by leaders in the area, who observed several men disembark in two overflights.
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