STORY: The Colombian army and police rescued 57 soldiers held for two days in a mountainous southwestern region that is under pressure from leftist guerrillas, the military said on X on Monday (June 23).

Colombian Minister of Defence, Pedro Sanchez, said the operation was "perfect" because officers did not fire a single shot to rescue the soldiers.

The troops were detained near the village of El Plateado in Cauca province, a strategic area for drug trafficking where security forces launched an operation in October 2024 to expel illegal armed groups.

The region is a stronghold of a dissident faction of the former FARC guerrilla group, which rejected a 2016 peace deal. Authorities accuse the group of recruiting minors and pressuring civilians to resist the presence of state forces.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SOLDIERS DURING RESCUE OPERATION / RESCUED SOLDIERS GREETING MINISTER / SOUNDBITES FROM COLOMBIAN MINISTER OF DEFENCE, PEDRO SANCHEZ

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: POPAYAN, CAUCA, COLOMBIA (JUNE 23, 2025) (COLOMBIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY HANDOUT – Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

1. SOLDIERS ARRIVING AFTER BEING RESCUED

2. SOLDIER SAYING (Spanish): "It's very good to be coming back home, looking forward to seeing my family."

3. COLOMBIAN MINISTER OF DEFENCE, PEDRO SANCHEZ, GREETING SOLDIERS

4. SOLDIERS WALKING

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE, PEDRO SANCHEZ, SAYING:

"A rescue that was perfect. Operation Justice did not involve a single shot, it simply rescued our 57 soldiers—a rescue in which even you participated—and there are some people who have been captured for allegedly participating in the kidnapping. We will not tolerate this any longer. We are respectful of human rights and international humanitarian law, but you also have rights. These criminals must stop killing our people."

6. VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS BEING WELCOMED

7. SOLDIER HOLDING RIFLE AGAINST GROUND

8. SOLDIERS SPEAKING

9. BAGS ON GROUND / SOLDIERS STANDING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE, PEDRO SANCHEZ, SAYING:

"All of Colombia was watching over you, because whoever harms a soldier, whoever harms a police officer, is also harming an institution and attacking the state. Whoever kidnaps a soldier, whoever kidnaps a police officer, is also kidnapping freedom, kidnapping security, and kidnapping hope. We will not allow it and we will not tolerate it."

EL TAMBO, CAUCA, COLOMBIA (JUNE 23, 2025) (COLOMBIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY HANDOUT – Access all)

11. VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS WALKING, RUNNING IN STREETS DURING RESCUE OPERATION

12. SOLDIERS STANDING AROUND MOTORCYCLE RIDER, PULLING HIM OFF

13. SOLDIERS DEPLOYED DURING RESCUE OPERATION / OFFICERS ARRESTING PERSON