‘Never touched a gun’: Colombia fighters step up child soldier recruitment
As Colombia’s conflicts continue to escalate, criminal organisations rely on young soldiers to bolster ranks.
![Colombian soldiers stand in formation during a news conference where war material seized from a dissident group of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) was displayed, and 104 fighters, including 20 minors, according to the Colombian army, deserted, in Cucuta, Colombia, January 25, 2025 [Carlos Eduardo Ramirez/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2025-01-25T193419Z_110090791_RC2ZGCA98MHB_RTRMADP_3_COLOMBIA-CONFLICT-1752082277.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![Colombians displaced by attacks by rebels of the National Liberation Army (ELN) wait for donations of food and clothing at the General Santander Stadium in Cucuta, Colombia January 22, 2025. [Nathalia Angarita/Reuters] (Reuters)](/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-01-23T044046Z_520430057_RC28FCA03L09_RTRMADP_3_COLOMBIA-CONFLICT-1737728540.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
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Defence Minister Ivan Velasquez has apologised to families of 19 civilians killed by soldiers under false pretenses.
The agreement is a milestone for the Colombian government, though doubts remain over its ability to reduce violence.
Colombia’s government seeks to draw urban criminal networks into disarmament talks as it pursues ‘total peace’.
The agreement is a significant success for President Gustavo Petro’s agenda of ‘total peace’ after previous setbacks.
The decision targets members of the Estado Mayor Central rebel group after reports of minors being forcibly recruited.
Peace talks between the rebel group and the Colombian government have entered their third round of negotiations in Cuba.
The Estado Mayor Central armed group, a FARC breakaway organisation, says it is ready to start peace talks on May 16.
As armed groups continue to jostle for power, the Red Cross reports a six-year high in civilians injured by explosives.
New violence in Colombia’s decades-long conflict has impeded de-mining efforts, putting rural populations at risk.
Arsenal of weapons, including M60 machine gun and grenades, belonged to FARC rebel dissidents, Colombian police say.
