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Colombia Confirms Six Forcibly Recruited Children Killed in Guaviare Airstrike

The ombudsman’s call for strict precautions under humanitarian law follows Petro’s public defense of ordering the recent strikes.

Overview

  • Colombia’s Defense Ministry reported 19 people were killed in Tuesday’s bombing against ex-FARC dissidents in Guaviare, with four bodies still unidentified.
  • The Defensoría del Pueblo said the six children who died were victims of forced recruitment and urged the military to take all feasible precautions required by international humanitarian law.
  • The Army said three minors were recovered alive during the operation at the dissident camp.
  • President Gustavo Petro said he personally authorized the bombings in Guaviare and Arauca, arguing the decision was necessary to protect soldiers from a potential ambush.
  • Authorities said the targets were structures led by alias “Iván Mordisco,” as officials tally 13 bombings since 2022, including eight in 2025, and U.S. decertification and domestic criticism intensify pressure on the government.