Three minors killed in Colombian military air strike on FARC dissidents

On August 27, a Colombian military air strike in the southern Guaviare department killed 10 people, including three minors aged 15 and 16, according to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences. The victims allegedly belonged to a dissident faction of the FARC that rejected the 2016 peace agreement. President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office earlier this month, has intensified operations against armed groups. Another bombing in the same area killed eight members of a FARC dissident group led by Ivan Mordisco, though it is unknown if minors were among the dead. The Defence Ministry reported 24 suspected rebels killed since de la Espriella took office. A Human Rights Watch report published last week highlights rising child recruitment by armed groups, with at least 1,500 children recruited since 2021, including 625 cases in 2024. The report notes that groups use social media to recruit children for dangerous tasks like operating explosive-laden drones, and that algorithms on platforms like Meta and TikTok may promote such content. HRW's Americas director called for stronger protections and platform accountability.