Colombia investigates claims of 20,000 concealed bodies at airport
The Attorney General's Office of Colombia has tasked the Institute of Forensic Medicine with investigating reports of around 20,000 concealed corpses in a hangar at Bogotá's airport. The United Nations Commission supplied this information on Enforced Disappearances.
The Attorney General's Office of Colombia has initiated measures to clarify alarming reports regarding the possible concealment of thousands of corpses. It is alleged that human remains are hidden in a hangar at El Dorado airport in Bogotá.
These suspicions about a horrific act of genocide that was allegedly committed were communicated to Colombian authorities by representatives of the UN Commission on Enforced Disappearances, following a recent visit to Colombia.
Colombian prosecutors to search hangars at Bogotá airport; remains may be concealed there
In the hangars at El Dorado airport in Bogotá, victims of genocide may be located – civilians abducted and murdered en masse during the civil war. The conflict from 1964 to 2016 claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
In response to these reports, the Colombian government, concerned by the potential implications of this discovery, has sought the expertise of the Institute of Forensic Medicine. The investigation aims to verify these reports.
According to the Colombian Search Unit for Missing Persons, the official list of missing persons before the 2016 peace agreement with FARC guerrillas includes as many as 111,000 names. It's estimated that the number of conflict victims still being sought could range from 98,000 to 200,000 people.
Colombian prosecutor Javier Sarmiento, who focuses on human rights protection, stressed that authorities must quickly resolve any doubts regarding these reports. Collaboration with international organizations, including the UN, is essential in clarifying the fate of missing persons and achieving justice for the conflict's victims.
This issue highlights the ongoing challenges in Colombia, where, despite the peace agreement, many past issues remain unresolved. The Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) waged a civil war for many years, which resulted in over 220,000 fatalities, mostly among civilians.
There are numerous mass graves in cemeteries, where unidentified victims remain. Additionally, reports suggest other locations where murdered individuals' bodies may have been buried.
