Minors killed in Colombian military operations against armed groups

Several minors were killed during military air strikes conducted by the government of Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, as part of a crackdown on cocaine trafficking rebels. In an August 27 operation in the southern Guaviare department, 10 people were killed. The National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences reported that three of those victims were minors, aged 15 and 16. Another source cited by Agence France-Presse stated that four minors died across attacks in Guaviare and the northeastern Catatumbo region. The victims allegedly belonged to a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which rejected a 2016 peace agreement.

President de la Espriella, a right wing leader and ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, has intensified military operations since taking office earlier this month. He reported another bombing in Guaviare that killed eight members of a FARC dissident group led by commander Ivan Mordisco, though it is unknown if any minors were among those dead. The Ministry of National Defence reported that 24 suspected rebels have been killed since the president took office, while another source cited a total of 26.

President de la Espriella stated on X that bandits who recruit minors as combatants or human shields must pay for crimes that violate International Humanitarian Law. Human Rights Watch reported last week that armed groups are increasingly recruiting children, with 625 cases reported in 2024. The organization noted that social media platforms like Meta and TikTok have been used to recruit children for dangerous tasks, such as operating explosive drones. Meta and TikTok told Human Rights Watch that they prohibit content promoting violence and have removed flagged accounts.