# Images From Colombia’s ‘Operation Hazarías’ Draw Rights Criticism as Government Targets FARC Dissidents

*Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 8:05 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-09-06T20:05:50.794Z (2h ago)
**Category**: conflict | **Region**: Latin America
**Importance**: 7/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/17085.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Colombia’s ombudswoman has criticized the publication of images showing President Abelardo de la Espriella among 23 dead alleged FARC dissidents, two of them minors, even as the government reports fresh kills and arrests of dissident fighters in Nariño.

A major Colombian military operation against FARC dissidents has triggered a domestic human‑rights debate after images emerged of the president standing among the bodies of those killed.

Ombudswoman Iris Marín Ortiz questioned the release of images from “Operation Hazarías” in Guaviare, in which President Abelardo de la Espriella appeared among the corpses of 23 alleged FARC dissidents. According to her office, two of those killed were minors. She warned against using bodies as public displays of power and stressed that there are limits even in war.

The criticism comes as the presidency highlights ongoing operations against dissident structures. De la Espriella said that in the previous 24 hours seven integrantes del frente Franco Benavides del Estado Mayor Central de las disidencias de las FARC died during military operations in El Peñol, Nariño, and that five people were captured. Authorities linked these actions to broader efforts against narcotrafficking.

In these operations, security forces are targeting armed groups in areas where coca cultivation, trafficking corridors, and illegal economies remain entrenched. For communities in Guaviare and Nariño, the fighting brings both the possibility of relief from armed control and the risk of further violence and displacement.

The ombudswoman’s stance highlights tension between a government eager to show results against dissidents and institutions charged with upholding humanitarian standards. Turning battlefield deaths into a visual symbol of state power raises questions about how far official communications should go in displaying the dead, especially when minors are among them.

Key developments to watch include whether oversight bodies open inquiries into Operation Hazarías, how the presidency responds to the ombudswoman’s concerns, and whether future military messaging changes the way it portrays casualties in the campaign against dissident groups.