Colombian Army Rescues 57 Soldiers Held Hostage in Rebel-Linked Region

The Colombian military has rescued 57 soldiers held hostage by locals in Cauca, a region influenced by the rebel-linked EMC faction. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said the operation was executed without gunfire, resulting in 20 arrests.

The soldiers were detained while attempting to extract a suspected rebel, in what authorities described as an EMC-orchestrated kidnapping. The military launched the rescue after negotiations failed, highlighting the region’s instability and heavy reliance on coca cultivation.