The Colombian armed forces on Thursday (August 28) released footage of nearly three-dozen soldiers who had been kidnapped by armed civilians in a jungle area of southeastern Colombia.

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed that all the kidnapped soldiers have been released.

The soldiers were kidnapped on August 25 after clashes in a rural part of the El Retorno municipality left 11 guerrillas dead, including a commander of a dissident faction of the former FARC rebel group.

The 33 soldiers had been kidnapped shortly before evacuating the area, the minister had said.

The jungle region is a stronghold of a dissident faction of the former FARC rebel group, which rejected a 2016 peace deal.

The area is considered a strategic corridor for drug trafficking and is known for its extensive coca crops, the raw material used to make cocaine.

Authorities accuse the group of recruiting minors and pressuring civilians to resist the presence of state forces.

Kidnappings of armed forces' members are frequent in Colombia after a six-decade conflict that has left over 450,000 dead.

Leftist President Gustavo Petro launched a peace strategy in 2022 to halt clashes. Rights groups allege the plan has shown little fruits so far.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SAN JOSE DEL GUAVIARE, COLOMBIA (AUGUST 28, 2025) (MILITARY FORCES OF COLOMBIA – Access all)

1. (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS OF RELEASED SOLDIERS WALKING

2. COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES ADMIRAL, FRANCISCO CUBIDES, GREETING RELEASED SOLDIERS

3. SOLDIERS APPLAUD RELEASED COMRADES

4. COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES ADMIRAL, FRANCISCO CUBIDES, GREETING RELEASED SOLDIERS

5. VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS IN FORMATION

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COMMANDER OF THE COLOMBIAN ARMED FORCES, ADMIRAL FRANCISCO CUBIDES, SAYING:

“Their return is a reason for respect, but above all of admiration for what they have done. Our soldiers, our sailors, our pilots will never surrender, they will never stop fighting crime, they will never stop fighting illegality.”

7. VARIOUS OF RELEASED SOLDIERS LISTENING TO CUBIDES

8. RELEASED SOLDIERS SHOUTING WHILE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH