Mitú
Encyclopedia
Mitú is the capital city of the department
of Vaupés
in Colombia
. The town of Mitu is the most remote Capital of Department in Colombia.
In November, 1998 an estimated 1,900 FARC
guerrilla members of the Eastern Bloc of the FARC-EP tried to take over the town by force, against 120 National Police members
and one Colombian National Army Battalion. The Colombian Air Force
and Army Aviation
supported ground forces with air raids. Mitu was left partially destroyed and some 60 policemen and 10 civilians died along with over 800 guerrilla members. In their escape FARC took hostages as human shields including some 40 to 45 members of the Colombian Military.
On June 13, 2010, two of the hostages captured in Mitu in 1998, National Police Col. (now Gen.) Luis Mendieta and National Police Col. Enrique Murillo were freed by the Colombian army in a spectacular rescue that also freed two others captured in Miraflores to the west in 1998.
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
of Vaupés
Vaupés Department
Vaupés is a department of Colombia in the jungle covered Amazonas Region. It is located in the southeast part of the country, bordering Brazil to the east, the department of Amazonas to the south, Caquetá and Guaviare, and Guainía to the north covering a total area of 54,135 km²...
in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. The town of Mitu is the most remote Capital of Department in Colombia.
In November, 1998 an estimated 1,900 FARC
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
guerrilla members of the Eastern Bloc of the FARC-EP tried to take over the town by force, against 120 National Police members
Colombian National Police
The National Police of Colombia is the national police force of Colombia. Although the National Police is not part of the Military of Colombia , it constitutes along with them the "Public Force" and is also controlled by the Ministry of Defense. They are the largest police force in Colombia...
and one Colombian National Army Battalion. The Colombian Air Force
Colombian Air Force
The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
and Army Aviation
Colombian National Army Aviation
The Colombian National Army Aviation is an aviation combat arms unit in the Colombian National Army. Its history dates back to December 31, 1919, but was not fully developed until August 25, 1995 when this unit is officially activated under the name "Aviación Ejército" The Army Aviation was...
supported ground forces with air raids. Mitu was left partially destroyed and some 60 policemen and 10 civilians died along with over 800 guerrilla members. In their escape FARC took hostages as human shields including some 40 to 45 members of the Colombian Military.
On June 13, 2010, two of the hostages captured in Mitu in 1998, National Police Col. (now Gen.) Luis Mendieta and National Police Col. Enrique Murillo were freed by the Colombian army in a spectacular rescue that also freed two others captured in Miraflores to the west in 1998.