Dutch rebel survived Colombia air strike that killed FARC commander

Dutch rebel survived Colombia air strike that killed FARC commander

2010-12-02 08:11:39 GMT+7 (ICT)

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (BNO NEWS) -- The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on Wednesday announced that a Dutch woman and FARC member survived the military operation in which rebel commander Víctor Julio Suárez, aka "Mono Jojoy," was killed.

According to El Tiempo newspaper, a FARC anonymous source said that despite rumors that indicated otherwise, Tanja Nijmeijer managed to survive the operation from Colombia’s Task Force Omega and the Air Force that targeted the 300-square-meter camp La Macarena.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos described the operation as "the most overwhelming blow to the FARC in its history, even over the death of Raul Reyes." The operation included over 30 aircraft and 27 helicopters.

The Dutch national, whose war name is "Alexandra" or "Eileen," was indeed at the camp along her boyfriend Julian, the nephew of "Mono Jojoy." Initially, it was believed that she was one of the three women killed during the operation.

However, subsequent forensic and DNA analysis determined that Nijmeijer was not among the nine corpses recovered by Colombian soldiers after the military operation. Despite the revelation, neither Nijmeijer nor Julian were seen since the attack.

"She was missing for some time like when the camp of Carlos Antonio Lozada was attacked. However, she and Julian as well as other rebel fighters later joined 'Mauricio' and are ok," the anonymous source added.

The presence of Tanja Nijmeijer in the FARC was known in 2007 when the Colombian Army found some diaries she wrote in which she narrates her experiences in the Colombian guerrilla. The documents were located after a bombing at a camp in the southern areas of the country.

Nijmeijer, who was born in 1978, is considered by FARC as part of their 'international commission' and a valuable member due to her language skills and education.

The Dutch woman arrived to Bogota in 2002 and immediately joined the rebel group. She initially served as part of its urban militias and participated in many operations.

On September 22, her sister Maroles arrived to Colombia after the news of her apparent death surfaced. After learning her survival, Maroles urged her sister via video messages to abandon the movement and return home before it is too late.

Maroles Nijmeijer added she was angered and embarrassed by her sister’s actions as this was a path she chose herself and her actions are causing pain and suffering to the Colombian people.

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