According to the ministry, the operation was designed to target the structure of the Jorge Suarez Briceno Bloc, a faction under the command of alias ‘Calarca’, in a rural area known as El Retorno.

The operation, the source added, resulted in 10 members of that group being neutralized, one captured, and one minor rescued and with their rights restored.

The Army also seized 19 rifles, seven machine guns, 184 antipersonnel mines, 20 drone grenades, and more than 29,000 rounds of ammunition, among other items.

The Ministry of Defense added that “three of the deceased were minors.”

In its statement, the ministry noted that the recruitment and use of children by armed groups constitutes a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law and a war crime.

“We categorically reject this practice and will work with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant agencies to strengthen the protection of minors, prosecute recruitment networks, and punish those who exploit them,” the statement concluded.

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