Colombia's war crimes tribunal (JEP) has indicted 39 army officials, including four generals, for their involvement in the extrajudicial killings of 442 civilians in Antioquia between 2004 and 2007. These killings were driven by a "body count policy" that incentivised soldiers to present civilians as guerrillas killed in combat. Commanders allegedly dismissed complaints about the killings, attributing them to guerrilla tactics The JEP highlighted that these executions occurred after guerrilla groups were strategically defeated, and paramilitary groups demobilised, with victims often lured with false promises of work or identified through cooperation with paramilitaries. The JEP stressed these actions violated existing government and military directives. Indicted officials now have the choice to accept the charges and participate in the JEP’s restorative justice system or face imprisonment.

 

Colombia's war crimes tribunal (JEP) has indicted 39 army officials, including four generals, for their involvement in the extrajudicial killings of 442 civilians in Antioquia between 2004 and 2007.&nbsp;These killings were driven by a "body count policy" that incentivised soldiers to present civilians as guerrillas killed in combat.&nbsp;Commanders allegedly dismissed complaints about the killings, attributing them to guerrilla tactics&nbsp;The JEP highlighted that these executions occurred after guerrilla groups were strategically defeated, and paramilitary groups demobilised, with victims often lured with false promises of work or identified through cooperation with paramilitaries.&nbsp;The JEP stressed these actions violated existing government and military directives.&nbsp;Indicted officials now have the choice to accept the charges and participate in the JEP&rsquo;s restorative justice system or face imprisonment.
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Colombia News Headlines to bring you up to speed.