By Sinan Dogan and Yasin Gungor
BOGOTA/ISTANBUL (AA) – At least six Colombian Army soldiers were killed and several wounded in an ambush Sunday.
The attack occurred while troops were on patrol in the countryside of San Jose del Guaviare, the capital of the Guaviare department. Five other soldiers were reportedly kidnapped during the incident.
Local sources attribute the attack to the Comandante Jorge Suarez Briceno bloc, a dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
According to local media reports, the abducted soldiers were later handed over to villagers in the area. A team from the Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP/OEA) is traveling to the region to receive the soldiers.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered an immediate investigation into the attack, emphasizing his responsibility for the lives of security force personnel.
Petro said on X that he wants all soldiers to return safely to their families, noting that his government is committed to defending and protecting life.