{
  "id": 5150245,
  "title": "De la Espriella claims Colombia’s military killed 23, arrested 6 EMC guerrillas",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/de-la-espriella-claims-colombias-military-killed-23-arrested-6-emc",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T19:10:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Colombia Reports",
    "slug": "colombia-reports",
    "url": "https://colombiareports.com/de-la-espriella-claims-army-killed-23-arrested-6-emc-guerrillas/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "President Abelardo de la Espriella stated that Colombia's armed forces killed at least 23 members of the EMC dissident group and arrested six others during Operation Azarias. The operation targeted the EMC's Carolina Ramirez Front, killing the commander referred to as \"Tigre\" or \"Pintado\" in the south of Guaviare province. Another guerrilla commander, \"Victor,\" was among the six alleged EMC members arrested during the air strikes. According to the president, Victor had carried out attacks against the military during the elections as part of the \"gunpoint vote\" strategy used by the previous regime to skew the popular verdict. Victor allegedly ambushed a unit protecting citizens' right to vote freely. No evidence has been presented to suggest that De la Espriella's predecessor, former President Gustavo Petro, employed illegal armed groups to coerce voters. One minor survivor was handed over to the ICBF, and the Medical Examiner's Office will investigate the number of minors among the alleged \"narcoterrorists\". At least three minors died in a previous operation in Guaviare that killed nine alleged EMC members. The government maintains that those recruiting children and minors are responsible for their deaths, as it is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law.",
  "summary": "President Abelardo de la Espriella claimed Wednesday that Colombia’s armed forces killed at least 23 members of FARC dissident group EMC and captured another six. In a video, De la Espriella said that “Operation Azarias,” targeted the EMC’s Carolina Ramirez Front and killed one of its commanders, a man called “Tigre” or “Pintado,” in the […] The post De la Espriella claims Colombia’s military…",
  "key_points": [
    "Colombia's military killed 23 EMC guerrillas in Operation Azarias",
    "Six EMC members arrested during air strikes in Guaviare province",
    "Previous regime's 'gunpoint vote' strategy implicated in Victor's ambush"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The City Paper Bogotá",
        "title": "De la Espriella declares all criminal groups in Colombia ‘terrorists’ in sweeping security crackdown",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/de-la-espriella-declares-all-criminal-groups-in-colombia-terrorists",
        "published": "2026-08-26T13:04:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}