11 Soldiers & 2 Guerrillas Dead After Shootout Between FARC & Military

[kellyhound]

Battle aftermath.

An investigation by the Broad Front for Peace Thursday revealed that witness statements sharply contradict the official version of events being put forward by the military forces of Colombia.

A delegation from the Broad Front for Peace visited residents who live in the area where a clash between government forces and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) earlier this week left 11 government soldiers and two guerrillas dead.

A spokesman of the verification team that traveled to the rural area of Colombia, told that the witnesses he spoke to said that there had been a lengthy gun battle, contradicting army claims that they had been ambushed and could not respond to the attack.

The verification team spoke to 300 residents in the area who said that at approximately 11:30 p.m. an explosion was heard, which was followed by an exchange of gunfire that lasted until approximately 6 a.m.

He said that the team was unable to determine what triggered the first explosion nor who was responsible for the explosion.

General Jaime Lasprilla, commander of the Colombian Army, was quick to deem the clash a “premeditated” and “deliberate” attack by the FARC.

Official statements by the military also claimed it was a one-sided attack and that the soldiers were defenseless as they were killed while they slept.

However, the 6 hour gun battle suggests that government soldiers did in fact have the opportunity to defend themselves. The military also claimed that they had arrived in the area only recently and set up camp that night under the roof of a sports arena because of rainfall.

Residents said that it did not begin raining that night until after midnight, well after the clash had already begun.

The investigation also revealed the army had in fact been camping out at that location since March 19.

In a press conference the morning after the clash, General Lasprilla said that the military were there to protect the civilian population. Yet residents said that they repeatedly requested that the soldiers leave, as the arena was a mere 50 meters from a populated area and their presence could bring danger.

Residents told that the army had said they had orders from “higher up” to remain in the area. The soldiers did eventually leave but returned on April 11, five days before the confrontation.

Upon their return, the army set up a temporary base at the arena, suggesting they had ample time to follow protocol and establish a secure base.

The spokesman of the verification team expressed doubts that the FARC ambushed the government soldiers. In his opinion the installation of a military base there was a provocative move that he considered “an offensive operation” as the FARC were widely known to have been active in the area.

The residents who spoke to the delegation from the Broad Front for Peace denounced the fact that a civilian installation was used as a military base and that one of the soldiers apparently sought refuge in the home of a civilian during the gun battle - acts that they considered to be a violation of international law.

FARC commander Pablo Catatumbo blamed the government for the clash, adding that the government has been repeatedly attacking the guerrillas, despite the declaration of a unilateral cease-fire by the rebels.

"Given the circumstances, the fact the government has refused to sign a bilateral cease-fire agreement, it makes them solely responsible for the victims the war is generating,” said Catatumbo.

Colombian President Santos, however, responded by ordering Colombia’s armed forces to resume bombing campaigns against the camps of the FARC, marking an escalation of the conflict despite ongoing peace talks in Havana, Cuba between the FARC and the Santos government.

The Broad Front for Peace is expected to release a report of its findings in the coming days.

[reportTHIS]

Nice find Sir!

[spudigitti]

Excellent.....

[Greenfind235]

The Government got FARC-ed up.

[Kelseecat65]

It looks like they raided someone's closets to find items to cover up the bodies.

[JeremyJager]

Army should of listened to the residents who didn't want them there. Those young guys might not have died.

[minka1]

Such young men.

[VoodooViper]

ABSOLUTE FARCING CaCa Poo Poo! :-o
NO SOLDIER Is Going To Be In A Fire Fight For 7-Hours In Their SOCKS!!! No Boots On Their Feet! Did Everybody Missed That???

Next, ALL The Dead SOLDIERS Are Laying Down On Their Makeshift Beds! Including The SOLDIER With His FARCING ARSE Blown To Sheeeit!!! Look At ALL The FRAGMENTATION-(SHRAPNEL) Around Their Bodies Where They Lay! They Died Were They Slept!!!

FARC Is Notorious For Launching 40mm-Grenades & Mortar Rounds
Without WARNING!!! Also, They Use Another Brutal Tactic Called,
"ICMGF"! INTENSE CONCENTRATED MACHINE GUN FIRE!
FARC Lines Up, 10! To 40! Shooters In What They Call, "Guerrilla Squads" And Have 3 To 5 Teams! Top End, That's 200 SHOOTERS!
With 200 To 300 Round Drum Magazines!!!
Its Nickname Is, "Diablos de fuego" DEVILS FIRE!
Now You Know Where the Mexican Cartels Got the Idea From!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FARC

And Those SO CALLED WITNESSES, Are Drug Running Peasants Who Help FARC'S Cocaine Trade In the Region! And Avoid Having Their Daughters, Mothers And Wives Kidnapped And Raped By FARC!!!

[wileecoyote1969]

I gotta admit, I didn't see the no boots thing, but towards the end I was starting to wonder "that's a LOT of head shots". I mean except the guy who blew up the rest are all killed by what appears to be single shots to the head. That would be unbelieable during combat, even for a sniper in combat situations

[nat906]

what viper said .farc are full of shit.