Colombia’s military reported that 57 soldiers were kidnapped over the weekend by civilians in the volatile Micay Canyon region in the country’s southwest. The military believes the civilians were acting under coercion from EMC rebels, a faction of the disbanded Farc insurgency.

Brig. Gen. Federico Alberto Mejía confirmed in a video statement that “four non-commissioned officers and 53 soldiers had been seized,” calling it “kidnapping.” The abductions occurred in two waves: 31 soldiers on Saturday, and 26 more on Sunday, according to military sources.

Military Operation Disrupted by Locals

General Erik Rodríguez told El Tiempo newspaper that the initial confrontation unfolded when troops arrested a suspected EMC member. As soldiers prepared to airlift him from the mountainous terrain, they were encircled by over 100 locals. The next day, a second unit was overpowered by an even larger group. Rodríguez stated, “All soldiers are being held in the same location, and negotiations are ongoing for their release.”

Cocaine Trade and Rebel Activity in Micay Canyon

The Micay Canyon is a critical corridor for trafficking cocaine from coca fields to Pacific ports. The army estimates that more than 90% of the region’s residents rely on coca cultivation. Rodríguez suggested the soldiers were targeted due to their threat to the illicit trade.

Despite a 2016 peace accord with Farc, dissident factions like EMC continue criminal activities, including illegal mining and extortion. Talks between the government of President Gustavo Petro and the EMC have stalled since its leader Iván Mordisco exited negotiations last year.