In Colombia, a bizarre and alarming event has been reported: 57 soldiers have been kidnapped by civilian residents in the mountainous Micay Canyon region, located in the southwest of the country.
The Colombian military stated that 31 soldiers were abducted on Saturday, followed by 26 more on Sunday, by a group of over 200 people.
Authorities believe these civilians were either supported or coerced by FARC guerrilla elements, a group that signed a peace agreement with the government in 2016.
Brigadier General Federico Alberto Mejía shared on social media that among those kidnapped were four junior officers and 53 other soldiers, emphasizing that this act constitutes a clear case of abduction.
Colombian media outlets report that this operation may have been orchestrated by the EMC group, which currently leads FARC dissident factions that never disarmed. However, EMC has not issued any statement regarding the incident.
The Micay Canyon region is a key drug trafficking route used to transport cocaine to Pacific Ocean ports, from where the narcotics are illegally exported to international markets.
While the military sees this as a security failure, many on social media have reacted with mockery and humor, questioning how civilians could capture so many trained soldiers. Some joked: “Are civilians now teaching the army how to take hostages?”
This extraordinary story continues to make headlines across Colombia and around the world, given its rare nature and potential threat to national security.
