Bombing of FARC factions leaves 4 dead, 6 captured: Colombian president

BOGOTA, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said Monday that he had ordered an airstrike against dissident factions of the disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the northeastern Catatumbo region, leaving four members of the armed group dead and six others captured.

"In a decisive military operation that I authorized in a rural area of Tibu, Norte de Santander (department), our National Army and Colombian Air Force struck this criminal organization, which seeks to sow terror and exert control over Catatumbo through fire and bloodshed," the president posted on social media platform X.

According to De la Espriella, the operation, code-named Noah, was carried out in the border region near Venezuela and resulted in the capture of a rebel leader known by the alias "Barba Chivo."

The detainee is a close associate of Andrey Avendano, the top commander of "Structure 33," one of the FARC dissident groups operating in the municipality of Tibu.

"During Operation Noah, we also seized seven rifles and 15 drone-dropped grenades, and neutralized three encampments capable of accommodating approximately 35 members of this criminal organization," he said.

The president said the military offensive against FARC dissidents would continue until their top leaders were captured and brought to justice for attacks carried out by the group.

Since taking office on Aug. 7, De la Espriella has ordered seven bombing raids against various armed criminal and rebel groups in Catatumbo and other regions, including Guaviare and Choco.

The targets have included the two main FARC dissident factions, the National Liberation Army and the Clan del Golfo criminal group.