An illegal mining operation overseen by one of Colombia’s most prolific narco-terrorist organizations, the Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AGC), also known as Clan del Golfo, was dismantled in a joint operation between the Colombian military and police force on Thursday, December 12.
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The illegal (likely gold) mining operation was located in the El Topacio district of San Rafael, Antioquia, a department located in the northwestern reaches of Colombia known for having a strong AGC presence. During the joint operation, Colombian security forces seized mining equipment, including an excavator, two dredges, two motor pumps, and a mineral classifier. These material losses, alongside the loss of the mining operation itself, are believed to have resulted in a 1.7 billion peso loss (approximately $391,756.34 USD) for the armed group.
“We will continue to deploy our resources to protect the country's natural assets and weaken the financial sources of organized armed groups operating in Antioquia and other regions”, Colombia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement published on X. [1]
This operation follows rising tensions between the AGC and the Colombian government, with a number of clashes and military operations being reported by both government sources and local media in recent months. One such clash took place on October 31, 2024, reportedly involving two undercover Colombian police officers taking photographs for a report in Antioquia. During this incident, the two officers were searched by ten members of the AGC, whereupon their identities were compromised, before they were kidnapped and forcibly transported into the nearby jungle, where the pair were stripped of their clothing and tortured in an effort to extract information regarding information obtained by the police during their investigation. After 12 hours of torture, the officers were released by the AGC, while their personal effects, including the pair’s bulletproof vests and service pistols, were kept by the armed group. [2]
The increase in operations against the AGC alongside the armed group’s hostility towards Colombian security forces comes at a critical time for the country. Peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) remain tense despite delegations from both the government and ELN convening from November 19-25 in Caracas. Meanwhile, conflict with a splinter faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), known as the Estado Mayor Central (FARC-EMC), has only intensified since a previous ceasefire negotiated between the armed group and the government fell through in March 2024.
Sources
[1] - Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (@mindefensa), “Inhabilitada una unidad de producción minera ilícita en la vereda El Topacio, municipio de San Rafael, Antioquia.Tropas del Batallón Especial Energético y Vial de la Cuarta Brigada del @COL_EJERCITOy la @PoliciaColombia, lograron incautar una excavadora, dos dragas, dos motobombas y una clasificadora de minerales. Esta operación afecta las economías ilícitas del Clan del Golfo con pérdidas superiores a 1.700 millones de pesos.Continuaremos desplegando sus capacidades para proteger los recursos naturales del país y debilitar las fuentes de financiamiento de los grupos armados organizados que delinquen en Antioquia y otras regiones.”, X, December 12, 2024, post.
[2] - "Policías fueron secuestrados por el Clan del Golfo: 12 horas de violento interrogatorio y humillaciones," Semana, November 3, 2024, https://www.semana.com/nacion/medellin/articulo/policias-fueron-secuestrados-por-el-clan-del-golfo-12-horas-de-violento-interrogatorio-y-humillaciones/202444/.