The Colombian army has confirmed that it currently has no plans to rescue a French Foreign Legion soldier who was kidnapped by guerrillas in the southwestern Narino department on August 6. Colonel Mauricio Osorio, head of an anti-kidnapping division, told AFP that 'for the moment, no military operation is planned' to rescue the soldier, Jose Olger Melo Charry. Melo Charry, a corporal in the French Foreign Legion, was taken hostage while traveling along a road. He was traveling with a woman who was also seized but later released.
Background on the Kidnapping
The kidnapping is believed to have been carried out by the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), a breakaway faction of the now-defunct rebel army FARC. The EMC is known for its involvement in drug trafficking and illegal mining, and uses kidnapping as a means of extortion or to pressure authorities. The group is commanded by a man known as Ivan Mordisco, who is Colombia's most-wanted guerrilla.
Melo Charry had arrived in Colombia just one day before his abduction. The army report indicates that the rebels took him after realizing he belonged to the French Foreign Legion. Despite the kidnapping, the soldier's family has not received any proof of life or a demand for money in exchange for his release.
International Response and Context
A spokesperson for the French armed forces ministry told AFP that it is closely monitoring the case, along with the French foreign ministry. Melo Charry holds only Colombian citizenship, although the French Foreign Legion allows foreign recruits to apply for French citizenship after five years of service. Initial reports had indicated he was French-Colombian, but this has been corrected.
The kidnapping occurred under the administration of Colombia's newly appointed hardline President Abelardo de la Espriella, who favors cracking down on criminal organizations with military assistance from the United States. This contrasts with the approach of his leftist predecessor, Gustavo Petro, whose government failed in peace negotiations with multiple groups financed by drug trafficking and illegal mining.
It is also noteworthy that Melo Charry's military leave did not authorize him to enter Colombia, according to France's armed forces ministry. This adds another layer of complexity to the situation, as his presence in the country was not officially sanctioned.
