Colombian Army Lieutenant kidnapped in Saravena

Lieutenant María Camila Pantoja Hernández, a member of the National Army's 18th Cavalry Group, was kidnapped on November 4 in the urban area of Saravena, Arauca. Intelligence reports indicate she was intercepted by two armed men on a motorcycle.

The ELN's Eastern War Front claimed responsibility for the abduction via a video on social media, stating she was captured during an urban registration and control action. The group claimed she is part of an elite intelligence unit and warned that any rescue attempt could risk her life. They also stated she is being treated according to the realities of the regional conflict.

In response, the Colombian military has activated search protocols involving the Navy, the Aerospace Force, and the National Police. President Abelardo De La Espriella condemned the act, attributing it to the ELN's Domingo Laín Sáenz Front and ordering the deployment of public force capabilities to secure her release. The Ombudsman's Office has also demanded her immediate freedom.