Bogota, Nov 8 (IANS): At least four Colombian soldiers were killed in an ambush carried out by members of the Gulf Clan near the municipality of Ituango, Antioquia department, the Ministry of National Defence has confirmed.
The Commander of the Army's Seventh Division, General Juvenal Diaz, explained that members of the criminal group fired on and threw grenades inside a house where military personnel were carrying out surveillance in the area, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said the attack was in retaliation for the recent capture of the leader of the Gulf Clan, Dairo Antonio Usuga, alias "Otoniel."
Colombian authorities reported Otoniel's capture on October 23 following the offer of a reward of about $8,00,000.
The capture of Otoniel is the most important blow to drug trafficking in Colombia this century, according to President Ivan Duque.