Elements of the Colombian army launched an attack on the FARC dissident group
Central General Staff (EMC), aimed at retaking El Plateado. At least 17 army personnel were reported
to have been injured in the early stages of the operation, with multiple injuries caused by EMC’s use
of cheap drones. El Plateado has been under EMC control for approximately five years and is a
strategically important hub for drug trafficking in the country’s west.
Last week, the government and the central command of the EMC agreed on a truce in the Cali area
for COP16, which Colombia will host between 21 October and 1 November. Earlier in 2024, the
Colombian government of Gustavo Petro suspended its ceasefire agreement with elements of the
EMC in the areas of Cauca, Nariño and Valle del Cauca.