By Sinan Dogan
CARACAS, Venezuela (AA) – Four Venezuelan soldiers were killed and eight others wounded during operations along the border against a Colombian criminal group.
The soldiers were ambushed in an area bordering Venezuela’s Apure state, where the Venezuelan Armed Forces are conducting operations against former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and irregular armed groups, according to local media.
While no official statement has been made so far by the Venezuelan authorities regarding the attack, former FARC dissidents allegedly staged the ambush.
Local media in Colombia claimed the loss of Venezuelan soldiers was more and there were missing soldiers.
In a statement, the Venezuelan Defense Ministry said the operations were aimed at eliminating irregular armed groups in the region.
In early April, eight Venezuelan soldiers were killed and 34 others wounded during operations along the border against a Colombian criminal group.
Also, two Venezuelan soldiers were killed and nine others wounded when a land mine exploded during operations against armed groups along the Colombian border.
As a result of these confrontations, over 7,000 Venezuelans have left the area, crossing the border into Colombia.
