Three minors were among 10 people killed in a Colombian military airstrike on August 27 in the southern Guaviare department, authorities confirmed. The operation targeted a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) that rejected a 2016 peace agreement.

This military action marks the deadliest operation since President Abelardo de la Espriella assumed office earlier this month. De la Espriella, a right-wing leader, has vowed to intensify operations against armed groups operating in the country. The National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences identified two of the victims as 15 years old and one as 16 years old.

The Ministry of National Defence stated that the targeted group was a dissident faction linked to FARC commander Ivan Mordisco. President de la Espriella commented on social media that "bandits, who for decades have recruited minors to turn them into combatants or human shields, must pay for these crimes that violate International Humanitarian Law." He also mentioned a separate bombing in the same area that killed eight FARC dissident members, though it is unknown if minors were among them.

The strikes occur amidst a reported rise in child recruitment by armed groups in Colombia. A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released last week indicated that at least 1,500 children have been recruited by armed groups since 2021, with 625 cases reported in 2024 alone.

According to HRW, criminal and rebel groups are increasingly using social media platforms like Meta and TikTok to recruit children, assigning them dangerous tasks, including operating explosive-laden drones. The report suggests that platform algorithms may have actively promoted content encouraging youth to join rebel factions.

Juanita Goebertus, HRW's Americas director, stated that armed groups are recruiting children "with impunity," and that protection systems are failing while social media has become an effective recruitment tool. Meta and TikTok have stated they prohibit violent content and have removed flagged accounts.

Since President de la Espriella took office, military operations have resulted in the deaths of 24 suspected rebels, according to the Defence Ministry. The government's intensified crackdown signals a commitment to confronting armed factions that continue to operate in the country, particularly those involved in drug trafficking and child recruitment.

Unresolved questions remain regarding the effectiveness of current child protection measures and the extent to which social media platforms can effectively police content that facilitates recruitment by armed organizations. The ongoing operations by the de la Espriella administration are expected to continue facing scrutiny regarding civilian casualties, particularly minors.