A Colombian rebel leader who refused to demobilize under a 2016 peace deal with the government was killed by the armed forces on Saturday, Colombian President Ivan Duque said.
The man, known by his nom de guerre Rodrigo Cadete, 52, was a top member of a faction of former rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who refused to adhere to the peace agreement.
“Today in a seamless operation, the criminal known as Rodrigo Cadete, one of the most feared figures of terrorism in our country, was neutralized,” Duque said at an event in the city of Manizales.
Colombian Minister of Defense Guillermo Botero said at the same event that Cadete had been bringing together dissidents to form a new group, adding that nine other guerrillas were killed and others captured.
The dissidents have an estimated 1,800 combatants spread across about 30 units.
With no unified command, the dissidents operate in remote areas where they fight other groups to control drug trafficking and drug smuggling routes.
Colombia has experienced relative calm since the 2016 peace deal signed by then-president Juan Manuel Santos and FARC rebels.
About 13,000 FARC members, including 6,000 combatants, demobilized under the peace accord. The group is now a political party, with 10 seats in Colombian Congress guaranteed through 2026.
The smaller ELN is now considered the last active rebel group in the country.
True to his election promises, Duque, who took office in August last year, has taken a hard line against the ELN, including his demand that they release all hostages as a prerequisite to kick-starting their peace process.
The FARC fought the government for more than five decades. The conflict has killed more than 260,000 people.
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