The Colombian army has announced that a soldier in the French Foreign Legion was kidnapped earlier this month while travelling through Narino, a region in southwestern Colombia dominated by guerrillas.
José Olger Melo Charry, who is French-Colombian, was taken hostage on 6 August while travelling along a road in Narino, according to a Colombian army report seen by the French news agency AFP.
The kidnappers are believed to be members of the Estado Mayor Central, the main breakaway faction of the now-defunct Farc rebel group which laid down arms in an historic peace deal in 2016.
The rebels kidnapped Melo Charry after realising he was a member of the French Foreign Legion, the report said.
Soldier on leave
The soldier joined the French army "four years ago" and was on leave in his home country, Army Colonel Mauricio Osorio told national broadcaster Blu Radio on Thursday.
Melo Charry "holds the rank of corporal", Osorio said.
The group blamed for the kidnapping is reportedly led by Ivan Mordisco, Colombia's most-wanted guerilla.
The country's armed groups, which are mainly involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining, use kidnapping for extortion or to pressure authorities.
Crackdown on guerrillas
Right-wing President Abelardo De la Espriella, who took office on 7 August, has promised to crack down hard on the country's cocaine-smuggling guerrilla factions.
An ally of US President Donald Trump, Colombia has now joined Trump's Shield of the Americas anti-cartel alliance.
The head of US Southern Command visited Colombia on Wednesday to discuss joint operations against drug traffickers.
Under Colombia's previous president, leftist Gustavo Petro, the government's efforts to negotiate peace with rebel factions failed.
(with AFP)
