Iván Duque assures that alias Uriel, leader of the ELN, was killed

Alias ​​Uriel photographed in May 2019. Credit: RAUL ARBOLEDA / AFP via Getty Images

(CNN Spanish) -

The president of Colombia, Iván Duque, reported this Sunday that the head of the ELN's western war bloc, Andrés Felipe Vanegas Londoño, alias “Uriel”, was killed in an operation in which Army troops participated, the National Police and other security forces.

Our Public Force continues to hit criminals accurately.

In operation of @FuerzasMilCol and @PoliciaColombia with the support of @FiscaliaCol, the neutralization was achieved, in Nóvita, Chocó, of alias 'Uriel', leader of the Eln.

#He who lives by the sword will die by the sword

- Iván Duque 🇨🇴 (@IvanDuque) October 25, 2020

“In this operation a dangerous criminal fell, who was responsible for crimes such as kidnapping, the murder of social leaders, the persecution and harassment of populations, the murder of soldiers and policemen, and also for shaping and stimulating the recruitment of minors and try to get young people from different cities to join the organization that supports the ELN ”, stated the president from Quibdó, Chocó, when giving information about the“ Odín ”operation.

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The Colombian government revealed through a statement that during the operation "two pistols, 5.56 rifle ammunition, 16 cell phones, computer and communications equipment, as well as documents of interest to the intelligence of the Public Force, were seized."

Alias ​​Uriel had an arrest warrant for the crimes of aggravated homicide, aggravated kidnapping and rebellion, according to the statement, which also indicates the existence of a reward of up to 500 million pesos (about US $ 131,400) for information that led to his "capture or neutralization ”.

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