A judge in southern Colombia has become the second in a week to rein in the government’s bombing campaign against illegal armed groups, citing the risk to children forced into their ranks.
The Third Criminal Circuit Court of San José del Guaviare ordered the temporary suspension of airstrikes in Guaviare department whenever military intelligence, a preventive alert, or other objective evidence suggests that recruited minors could be harmed. The ruling came in response to a legal petition filed by Roxemhberg Rozo Sánchez on behalf of children and teenagers who are victims of forced recruitment, targeting the presidency and several state agencies.
Judge Jhoan Aguilera Martínez directed President Abelardo De La Espriella, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, along with the Defense Ministry and military authorities, to pause strikes on illegal armed groups in the region under those specific conditions. Importantly, the judge stopped short of banning airstrikes outright or questioning the military’s constitutional authority to carry out offensive operations, stressing that the presence of minors does not automatically make an operation unlawful. Instead, the goal is to ensure authorities have adequate safeguards to protect civilians, especially children, while the case proceeds.
The court referenced the recent Operation Amón, carried out on August 27 in a rural area of Guaviare, as part of the backdrop for its decision. The ruling follows a similar order issued this week by a court in Bogotá, adding a new legal front to the government’s military offensive against armed groups.
Read the full original report at eltiempo.com for more details.
Source: Tras decisión en Bogotá, otro juez restringe bombardeos por riesgo para menores reclutados en Guaviare (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: USAG-Humphreys, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).