The Colombian army has announced a soldier in the French Foreign Legion was kidnapped earlier this month while travelling in the department of Narino, an area in southwestern Colombia dominated by guerrillas.
Issued on: 28/08/2026 - 08:49
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Jose Olger Melo Charry, who is French-Colombian, was taken hostage on 6 August while travelling along a road in the department of Narino, according to a Colombian army report seen by AFP. The kidnappers are believed to be members of the Estado Mayor Central, the main breakaway faction of the now-defunct Farc rebel group which laid down arms in an historic peace deal in 2016. The rebels kidnapped him after realising he was a member of the French Foreign Legion, according to the report. Army Colonel Mauricio Osorio told Blu Radio on Thursday that Melo Charry joined the French army "four years ago" and was on leave in his home country. The soldier "holds the rank of corporal," Osorio said. Is French Foreign Legion still an elite, international fighting force? Confronting armed groups The group blamed for the kidnapping is reportedly led by Ivan Mordisco, Colombia's most-wanted guerilla. The country's armed groups, which are mainly involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining, use kidnapping for extortion or to pressure authorities. Rightwing President Abelardo De la Espriella, who took office on 7 August, has promised to crack down hard on his country's cocaine-smuggling guerrilla factions. An ally of President Donald Trump, Colombia has now joined Trump's Shield of the Americas anti-cartel alliance. The head of US Southern Command visited Colombia on Wednesday to discuss joint operations against narco-traffickers. Under Colombia's previous president, leftist Gustavo Petro, the government's efforts at negotiating peace with rebel factions failed. Colombian guerrillas offer peace talks with Petro successor (with AFP)
