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Army detects 710 explosive devices in Nariño, largest FARC dissident weapons cache found this year
🇨🇴 Colombia /Conflict & Security

Army detects 710 explosive devices in Nariño, largest FARC dissident weapons cache found this year

From El Tiempo · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • The Colombian Army discovered and destroyed a large cache of 710 explosive devices in Nariño, a significant blow to FARC dissidents.
  • The find is considered the largest illegal explosives deposit discovered by the Army this year, intended for terrorist attacks.
  • The operation in Tumaco targeted the 'Coordinadora Nacional Ejército Bolivariano' faction of the FARC dissidents, disrupting their capacity to carry out attacks.

The Colombian Army has dismantled a major explosives depot belonging to FARC dissidents in the volatile Nariño region. Troops from the Hércules Task Force discovered and safely destroyed 710 high-powered explosive devices in the rural area of La Aduana, municipality of Tumaco.

This find represents the largest illegal explosives deposit uncovered by the Army in 2026. Military intelligence indicates the cache belonged to the 'Coordinadora Nacional Ejército Bolivariano,' a dissident FARC faction operating along the Pacific coast. The explosives were reportedly intended for carrying out terrorist attacks targeting civilians, security forces, and state infrastructure in the region.

This important operational result significantly affects the capabilities of this illegal armed structure, by preventing this material from being used for the fabrication and utilization of improvised explosive devices, anti-personnel mines, and explosive elements against the civilian population, the Public Force, and the strategic infrastructure of the State.

— Colonel William Morales GuerreroExplaining the impact of the operation on the dissident group's ability to conduct attacks.

Colonel William Morales Guerrero, commander of the Hércules Task Force, stated that the operation, conducted under the strategic campaign plan Ayacucho Plus 2026, significantly degrades the armed group's capabilities. The destroyed materials included 60-millimeter caliber improvised explosive devices, 100-pound cylinders, pentolite, and components for anti-personnel mines.

The Army emphasized that this operation protects the lives and integrity of hundreds of families in the Nariño Pacific region. They affirmed their commitment to continuing sustained and forceful military operations against armed groups responsible for violence and human rights violations.

This operation protects the lives and integrity of hundreds of families in the Nariño Pacific.

— Colonel William Morales GuerreroHighlighting the positive outcome of the operation for the local population.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Tiempo in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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