Colombia's FARC says two ex-fighters killed after campaigning

[Judi Lynn]

JANUARY 17, 2018 / 7:55 PM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

Reuters Staff


BOGOTA (Reuters) - Two former fighters from Colombia’s FARC rebels were killed in Antioquia province after campaigning for a political candidate for the now-demobilized guerrilla group, the FARC said in a statement on Wednesday.

Thousands of members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels handed in their weapons under a peace deal signed with the government in 2016 to end more than 52 years of war. The group is now campaigning in legislative and presidential elections scheduled for this year.

“Wilmar Asprilla and Angel de Jesus Montoya were in the municipality conducting a community meeting and preparing a meeting to support the candidate for the house of representatives of Antioquia,” the FARC said in a statement.

Community members heard gunshots from a parking lot at around 11 p.m. local time on Tuesday (0400 GMT Wednesday) and when police arrived they found the two men dead, the statement added.

More:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-colombia-peace/colombias-farc-says-two-ex-fighters-killed-after-campaigning-idUSKBN1F707A?rpc=401&

[Judi Lynn]

1. 2 former guerrillas shot in Colombia at campaign event

By Associated Press January 17 at 7:33 PM

BOGOTA, Colombia — Two ex-combatants with Colombia’s once-largest rebel group have been shot to death while participating in a campaign event for the guerrilla’s new political party.

Wilman Asprilla and Ansel Montoya were killed Tuesday night in northwestern Colombia while campaigning for a congressional candidate running under the banner of the former guerrillas’ party.

The United Nations mission in Colombia is condemning the deaths and urging the government to ensure the safety of all those participating in the upcoming vote.

The former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, has transformed into a political party as part of the peace accord that ended the region’s longest-running conflict.

More:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/2-former-guerrillas-shot-in-colombia-at-campaign-event/2018/01/17/36bfa10a-fbe7-11e7-9b5d-bbf0da31214d_story.html?utm_term=.1fc9b0cc0a8b

LBN:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141964417