New President Kills Rebel Leader in Colombia Crackdown

Sun Sep 06 2026 07:12:49 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Colombia's new president orders military to strike rebel factions, killing top terror "El Ruso" and promising a new era of security.

President Abelardo de la Espriella, sworn in this week, has ordered a swift crackdown on illegal armed groups in Colombia. A key target was Hernando Forero Mosquera, known as "El Ruso", who is suspected of leading the dissident faction Frente 28 of the former Farc. Forero was killed along with five other fighters in a central‑Colombia operation, sending a hard‑line message to any bandits that there is no safe haven. The move comes amid rising attacks and US-backed aid pledges of $1 bn to strengthen Colombia's security forces.

Colombia’s New President Drops a Heavy Hit on Rebel Groups

During his first speech after taking office, President Abelardo de la Espriella announced that security forces had killed Hernando Forero Mosquera—nicknamed "El Ruso"—a feared explosives expert believed to run the rebel group Frente 28.

Forero was one of several dissident factions that splintered from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) after the 2016 peace deal. These groups now profit from cocaine trafficking and illegal mining.

The operation was part of a broader strategy the new president has vowed to pursue, aimed at removing armed groups from the country and closing the deadly cycle of violence that has plagued Colombia for decades.

In addition to the killing of Forero, the military also targeted members of the Gulf clan and other criminal organisations, eliminating the threat posed by drone‑carried explosives in Cesar province and a car bomb in Cauca province.

The United States is backing the move, having pledged $1 bn in security assistance and welcoming Colombia into the Shield of the Americas coalition, an effort to curb drug trafficking and cross‑border crime.