The public order situation in southern Cauca continues to be complicated.
While the displacements continued, the Army located and destroyed forty antipersonnel mines in the municipality of Argelia.
The discovery was made in the corregimiento of Puerto Rico, a rural area of this town, where the Army seized the mines as well as five grenade-type explosive devices.
Lieutenant Colonel Mauricio Martínez, Commander of the Army’s 12th Direct Action Battalion, said that “apparently the artifacts would be located on roads or in the upper part of the sidewalks. It was possible to destroy the material with the techniques of the anti-explosives group”.
The officer added that “according to information, this explosive material would belong to the Carlos Patiño dissidents, which is used to attack the civilian population and the troops carrying out military operations in the south of the department.”
Worry
The situation in Algeria remains critical.
The mayor of this town, Jhonatan Patiño confirmed that homes and an educational institution have been affected.
In addition, he reported that the clashes between armed groups for territorial control that have been taking place since January have left more than 1,500 people displaced.
Apart from the displacements, he indicated that there are families confined by the fighting.
On the other hand, leaders of the area expressed their concern about a possible intensification of the fighting, after several combat planes flew over the area.
Likewise, spokespersons for the families that have arrived at the shelters are running out of food and no aid has been received from the departmental government.
The representative of Algeria, Daniel Imbachí, said that “the families are in the village of Sinai, La Belleza, Puerto Rico and in the urban area of Algeria, where they are housed.”
He added that “we can say that in less than twelve days there are some 1,600 people victims of displacement and some 2,00 who have suffered confinement.”
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