In a dramatic escalation of Colombia's ongoing struggle with armed groups and drug trafficking, at least 72 soldiers were kidnapped in the troubled Micay Canyon region of Cauca, southwest Colombia, on Sunday, September 7, 2025. The incident, which unfolded amid a military operation aimed at regaining control of drug trafficking and illegal mining routes, has once again underscored the persistent instability and violence that plagues the country's rural heartlands.
The Colombian army confirmed in a press release that approximately 600 people, many of whom were civilians reportedly manipulated or pressured by illegal armed groups, surrounded a military unit tasked with implementing government programs to replace illicit coca crops. The soldiers, part of Rapid Deployment Force No. 4 and leading Operation Perseus 2, were encircled in San Juan de Micay and prevented from deploying further into the area. "The National Army maintains a presence in the area, taking steps to restore order and ensure the return of the kidnapped personnel," the military stated, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Of the 72 soldiers initially detained, authorities managed to rescue 27 within a few hours. However, 45 remain captive under the control of a dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), now known as the Central General Staff and led by Ivan Mordisko. This group, which has been responsible for repeated attacks on military positions in the region, is believed to have orchestrated the mass abduction through the mobilization and coercion of local residents.
The Cauca department, particularly the Micay Canyon, has long been a flashpoint for conflict. Not only is it a key zone for coca cultivation and cocaine production, but it is also an area where the Colombian state’s presence is weak, allowing criminal gangs and guerrilla factions to vie for control. According to AFP and BBC, kidnappings of soldiers and police officers in such areas are a recurring phenomenon, often carried out by locals acting under duress from armed groups.
This latest incident is not isolated. It marks the fifth time in 2025 alone that groups of civilians, pressured by illegal armed actors, have detained military personnel. The Ministry of Defense revealed that there have been a total of 54 riots against the public force this year related to efforts to combat criminal groups and eradicate coca fields. In June, 53 soldiers were harassed and detained in El Tambo, Cauca; 16 people were arrested in connection with that event but released four days later due to insufficient grounds for prosecution, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Just weeks prior, in late August, 33 soldiers were captured by villagers in the southern department of Guaviare after a violent clash that left 10 members of a FARC holdout group dead. The villagers, acting on the orders of rebel leaders, demanded the return of a slain fighter’s body in exchange for the soldiers' release. The army reported that the troops were freed after four days of captivity, as noted by AP and CNA.
President Gustavo Petro, who launched an offensive in 2024 to reclaim areas lost to criminal organizations, has faced staunch resistance from local populations—resistance often fueled by the economic and social influence of drug trafficking mafias. In response to the latest abductions, Petro took to social media with a passionate appeal for peace and reconciliation. "The peasants of Micay know that it is time to begin the substitution of crops in a peaceful manner. This is the opportunity. Release the soldiers, they could be your sons. The sons of Colombia must embrace each other and outlive their parents. The dialogue commission is ready, and this is the word of the president," he wrote, as cited by Colombia One and Al Jazeera.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez was unequivocal in his condemnation of the events. "They would be taking part in this crime and in the obstruction of public duties, crimes also promoted by the dissidents of the drug cartel of alias ‘Mordisco,’" Sanchez stated. He further emphasized, "This is a serious crime, both because of the direct action of those involved and because of the threats and pressure from the dissidents of alias ‘Mordisco’ on the population." Sanchez insisted that such detentions are a "very serious violation of International Humanitarian Law, it is a crime against humanity that does not expire and will be pursued by the entire international justice system."
The government maintains that many of these abductions are orchestrated by armed groups who exploit the vulnerabilities of rural communities, often threatening or coercing civilians into participating in illegal acts. The lack of state presence in these remote areas makes both the military and local populations susceptible to the influence of criminal organizations. The Central General Staff, the FARC dissident group at the heart of this latest incident, has been particularly active in resisting state efforts to eradicate coca crops and disrupt lucrative drug trafficking routes.
Despite the 2016 peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC, which was intended to bring an end to decades of armed conflict, the vacuum left by the demobilized guerrillas has been filled by new and existing criminal actors. These groups have capitalized on the ongoing demand for cocaine and the absence of effective state control, perpetuating cycles of violence, displacement, and lawlessness in regions like Cauca, Guaviare, and Nariño.
For many observers, the repeated kidnappings of soldiers highlight the immense challenges facing Colombia’s peacebuilding and anti-narcotics efforts. The government’s crop substitution programs, designed to provide farmers with viable alternatives to coca cultivation, have met with limited success in areas where illegal armed groups wield significant power. President Petro’s call for voluntary and peaceful crop substitution reflects both the urgency of the situation and the difficulties inherent in implementing such policies amid ongoing conflict.
As of Monday, the fate of the 45 remaining captive soldiers hangs in the balance. The military continues operations in the region, and both national and international attention is focused on the Micay Canyon. The government’s ability to secure their release—and to prevent further such incidents—will be a crucial test of its resolve to restore order and authority in Colombia’s most embattled territories.
The events in Cauca are a stark reminder that, despite years of peace negotiations and anti-drug campaigns, Colombia’s rural areas remain battlegrounds where the rule of law is fragile and the lives of soldiers, civilians, and entire communities are caught in the crossfire of a conflict that is far from over.