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Article: Shocktroops of the drug war: Paramilitary units spearhead offensive.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- America's Insider
- Article date:
- March 22, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Darien Gap LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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LA HORMIGA -- Right-wing paramilitary units known for their brutality are increasingly operating in concert with the Colombian armed forces and as such are becoming an instrument of US policy.
One of the major objectives of the US-backed Plan Colombia-which includes $1.3 billion in mostly military aid from Washington - is to wipe out drug production in the rebel-dominated southern provinces of Putumayo and Caqueta. The goal is to undermine a key source of financing for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's biggest guerrilla group.
Between mid-December and late February, US-supplied Huey helicopters and crop-dusters sprayed coca ...