COLOMBIA: ELN rebels kill 10 soldiers

Record ID: 353857

  • Title: COLOMBIA: ELN rebels kill 10 soldiers
  • Date: 23rd May 2013
  • Summary: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS IN COLOMBIAN MOUNTAINS (FILE) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ELN REBELS TRAINING
  • Embargoed: 7th June 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Colombia
  • Country: Colombia
  • Reuters ID: LVA5FZMK58GE7RQ3COG5EBMAKQOV
  • Story Text: Ten soldiers were killed on Wednesday (May 22) in northeastern Colombia in an attack attributed to the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN), the government said.
    The attack, carried out with explosives, was the hardest blow against the armed forces from the ELN in over two years.
    The incident occurred in a rural part of the northeastern department, Norte de Santander, which borders Venezuela. It came as the ELN is in exploratory talks with the government of President Juan Manuel Santos on the possibility of launching peace negotiations.
    In the same attack, 11 soldiers were injured, said the commander of the second division of the army, General Juan Pablo Amaya.
    Santos condemned the violence, speaking in the western city of Cali. At the time of his statement, nine soldiers were confirmed dead. The tenth fatality was reported after he spoke.
    "Today, unfortunately our army suffered a hard blow. When I flew here to Cali I was informed there were six members of the army killed. Just as I say that, the number has risen to nine. It was a blow by the ELN (National Liberation Army) of Santander. I want to send my condolences to the families of these heroes in my name, from my family, from all of Colombia," he said.
    The ELN was founded in the 1960s by radical Catholic priests. It has appeared to weaken in recent years, due to a military offensive by the government, attacks by right-wing paramilitary squads and fighting with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's largest rebel group.
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