Venezuela confirms eight military personnel killed in fighting on the border with Colombia

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino confirmed Monday that eight military personnel had been killed – twice as many as previously known – during fighting in a border area a group of FARC dissidents, of which nine members have died.

“So far there have been nine casualties of these terrorist groups and, unfortunately, we have suffered the loss of eight comrades of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), said Padrino in an appearance without questions about the fighting that began last March 21 in the state of Apure (bordering Colombia).

This Sunday, military authorities had confirmed four casualties in their ranks and the “neutralization” of nine “terrorists” without clarifying, until today, if they had died or been arrested.

The information released so far by military or official sources have been very scarce, and they have not even clarified which armed group they are facing. However, they have released photos of seized uniforms with the former FARC guerrillas’ logos and acronyms.

Several associations with members in the area have also confirmed that they are FARC dissidents.

Padrino also did not confirm which group the members of the gang against which they are fighting are part of and which, in addition to the 8 dead, has caused injuries to 34 soldiers “who have received medical assistance in the military health network”, of which 21 “have been discharged with all their treatments.”

During the operation, 16 mines installed by the armed group have been deactivated, which, he recognized, has affected soldiers and “army land resources,” in addition to dismantling 6 camps.

SPECIAL DEFENSE ZONE ACTIVATED

By order of President Nicolás Maduro, Padrino commented that a “special temporary integral defense operational zone” has been activated in the area, which Major General Alejandro Javier Benitez Marcano will command with “a coordination staff.”

They also activated an integral brigade, called Negro Primero, under General Wilfredo Alexander Medrano’s command, “to whom the necessary military units and equipment will be assigned.”

Likewise, the Minister of Defense explained that Maduro “has ordered extraordinary measures,” which include creating “a security zone in the municipalities of Paez, Muñoz, and Romulo Gallegos,” all of them in Apure and where most of the fighting has taken place.

As part of these measures, the Strategic Operational Command of the FANB will design and execute “special public security plans to confront destabilizing actions” that threaten peace, personal security and “the protection of installations and public and private goods” to “guarantee internal order, citizen peace, and human rights.”

Likewise, he commented that this command, through the Apure Integral Defense Operational Zone and jointly with the civil, regional, and municipal authorities, “to safeguard human rights,” will establish restrictions and schedules for transit.

Likewise, they will impose “time restrictions for the operation of public and private places,” besides implementing security control measures “to guarantee public services and citizen peace.”

THE MILITARY WILL CARRY OUT INSPECTIONS

Finally, Padrino clarified that the military units deployed in the zone “will be able to carry out inspections in movable and immovable properties following the laws and regulations in force,” as well as “evict illegal occupations of public property that affect the security and defense of the nation.”

He also warned that the military units “will intervene to reestablish free transit in urban or rural areas if it is interrupted,” in addition to implementing “other actions that guarantee the free development and peace in the region.”

According to the minister, after three weeks of clashes and 17 deaths, “the region is returning to normality.”

Source: efe/afp