Seven soldiers of the National Army were killed in an attack in Frontino, Antioquia, on April 20; the incident is attributed to the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AGC), also known as the Gulf Clan. This Thursday, the mayor of Frontino, Jorge Elejalde, reported that the bodies were transferred to Medellín, after several hours of waiting because the weather conditions in the area made it difficult to evacuate the bodies.
“We confirmed that the Black Hawk helicopters arrived for the bodies that removed them from the Nutibara township of Frontino,” said the local president. He also assured that the military will ensure that the bodies are delivered to the loved ones of the victims of the attack.
For its part, the Seventh Division of the Army confirmed that the soldiers killed are: SLP. Edwar Fernando Agudelo Castaño, SLP. Emir Esli Baldovino Zabaleta, SLP. Yonaiker Cordero Rivera, SL18. Juan Daniel Lozano Oviedo, SL18. Kevin Luis Altamiranda Cantero; and SL18. Hector Fabio Buelvas Ospina.
Blu Radio heard the testimony of a relative of one of those killed. Durley Muñoz, wife of Edward Fernando Agudelo, commented that she is in Medellín waiting for the soldier's body to be delivered to her. “So far the only knowledge there is is that my husband's body has arrived, but we don't know when it will be delivered to us,” the woman told the media outlet and stated that they are waiting for the call of the representatives of the Army.
Details of the attack in Frontino
The attack was reported on April 20 and, according to the Army's investigations, attacks against the military have intensified due to increased blows to criminal structures. In fact, the authorities recalled that so far in 2022 30 soldiers have died at the hands of illegal groups; 10 of them were killed by the Gulf Clan.
It is believed that the situation is part of the 'gun plan', a strategy very similar to that of the 80s. This consists of the payment of hit men and persons who are willing to kill in uniform throughout the national territory.
The commander of the Seventh Division of the Army, General Juvenal Díaz, explained the hypothesis of how the attack was carried out. According to the uniformed man, the attack was carried out under a modality that consists of installing the explosives, previously, along the roads where the public forces will be mobilized, in order to activate them at the time of their passage.
The investigation of the attack
With regard to the investigation of the facts, the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation had a group of investigators, delegated by the leader of the judicial body, Francisco Barbosa, of the Delegated Unit of Territorial Security and another dedicated to Organized Crime. These teams will be supported by the Judicial Police of the Criminal Investigation Directorate, Interpol and Dijin.
A team was also placed in the area to carry out the work of ballistics, electromagnetic spectrum recovery and inspection with drones and other technological elements. However, Barbosa pointed out that the specialized prosecutors who arrived in the district have had difficulties in carrying out investigative work, because there had been some fighting in Frontino.
The Government of Antioquia, for its part, reported that due to the situation an Extraordinary Security Council was held. There, a reward of up to 250 million pesos was established for information that would allow the capture of alias Richard, member of the Edwin Roman Velásquez substructure of the Gulf Clan. Also, 100 million pesos were announced for those who provide data on the material and intellectual authors of these events.
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