Alvaro Uribe - Colombia - FARC - war
Colombia's elite troops fighting the FARC
Thursday 03 July 2008
Alavaro Uribe made the fight against the FARC the cornerstone of his presidency. Colombia's elite troops are in charge of defeating the guerrillas in the heart of the jungle. (Report: I. Aibar, S. Dufour, A. Yeoh)
Thursday 03 July 2008
In March reporters Ibar Aibar and Sebastian Dufour followed the Colombian military’s special armed forces, forces responsible for carrying out President Alvaro Uribe fight againt the FARC. They were also the ones who liberated Ingrid Betancourt.
These hand-picked men were trained by the U.S. military and are well-equipped. They track FARC leaders across the thick Colombian jungle. For days on end they hike across mountain passes that are 3, 000 metres high carrying 50 kilogramme-backpacks, braving rain and mud, eating monkey meat and remaining primed for battle at all times. But those times of battle are becoming increasingly rare.
“We control the areas where the guerillas have gathered their weapon reserves, their food and their medical supplies,” says Colonel Luis Gomez, adding that the FARC is pulling back as more and more people defect from their ranks. .
The Colombian army extracts information from these defectors. Military forces would be useless without this in a zone where thermal cameras alone cannot track rebels.
Ibar Aibar has seen a “Colombian army which is extremely hardened.” Four months after filming he is not surprised by the army’s latest exploit: the liberation of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages.
Click on the video above to watch this special edition of “Reporters”
17/07/2008 04:12:00 Alert a moderator
Kenneth T. Tellis
By Dan Shepherd -
Hey Kenny you are being a sore loser. The people love Presidente Uribe and the Columbian troops. They are kicking the crap out of your hero.
05/07/2008 22:19:03 Alert a moderator
Colombias Elite Troops?
By Kenneth T. Tellis -
Why is France 24 calling these hired U.S. mercenaries Colombia's Elite troops? Colombia has not had its own army since Alvaro Uribe Velez took over the country as a U.S. puppet. So why in heaven's name is France 24, giving out false propaganda for the Bush regime? Does this mean that France 24 is out of touch with the reality of Latin America, or is it simply taking direct orders from the U.S. government as an obedient surrogate?