Incident Summary:

10/06/2010: On Wednesday at 1200 noon, in the rural area of El Lagarto of Vegachi municipality, Antioquia, Colombia, four teachers and 20 students from the José María Córdova school were held hostage by 10 guerillas from the Capitán Mauricio Front of the National Liberation Army (ELN) after they demanded they attend a propaganda meeting. The hostages were released unharmed later that night. The ELN claimed responsibility for the attack.

GTD ID:
201010060007

When:
2010-10-06

Country:
Colombia

Region:
South America

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Antioquia

City:
Near Vegachi

Location Details:
At the José María Córdova school in the rural area of El Lagarto of Vegachi municipality, Antioquia, Colombia.

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Hostage Taking (Kidnapping)
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Educational Institution
Name of Entity José María Córdova
Specific Description Twenty students and four teachers from the José María Córdova school
Nationality of Target Colombia
Additional Information
Hostages Yes
Number of Hostages 24
US Hostages 0
Outcome Hostage(s) released by perpetrators
Ransom No
Property Damage No
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Unknown
Weapon Details
It is unknown if weapons were used in the attack.
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Additional Information The summary of this incident was partially based on an article originally written in Spanish.
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Group Sub-name Claimed Responsibility
National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN) Capitan Mauricio Front Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Personal claim)
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators 10
Number of Captured Perpetrators 0
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 0 Fatalities / 0 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 0
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 0
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
Jane’s Intelligence, “ELN Militants Briefly Kidnap Teacher and Students in Colombia's Antioquia,” Terrorism Watch Report, EFE News Agency, October 7, 2010.
Colombian Armed Forces, "Twenty Students Detained by ELN in Vegachí (Antioquia) Released," El Tiempo, https://www.fac.mil.co/?idcategoria=56778 (October 7, 2010).