A French Foreign Legion soldier executed a harrowing escape from Colombian guerrilla fighters, overpowering one of his captors and diving into a river with his hands bound. The dramatic breakout followed nearly a month of imprisonment at the hands of a dissident faction of the former FARC rebel group.
Jose Melo Charry, a Colombian citizen serving in the Legion, was abducted on August 6 in the southwestern Narino department while on leave in his homeland. According to a senior Colombian military official who spoke to AFP, Melo Charry requested permission to go into the bush to relieve himself. Once separated from the main camp, he wrestled with his guard, subdued him, and seized his rifle.
Although his hands remained tied, the soldier managed to free himself enough to jump into a river, using the current to aid his flight. He then embarked on a four-day trek through the Colombian Andes, a region heavily populated by various armed groups, before reaching a police station for assistance. Along the route, he ate at a farmer’s home but lived in fear that the family would turn him over to the insurgents.
The source, who requested anonymity, explained that Melo Charry concealed himself during daylight hours, hiding behind rocks and in trees whenever motorcycles passed. Through his family, he was able to send a message to security forces indicating he was navigating the mountains. Because the guerrillas viewed him as a high-value target or “big fish,” he had been restrained at the wrists, ankles, and neck for most of his detention.
A photograph released by the French Armed Forces showed Melo Charry at a hospital, airlifted for medical evaluation. Dressed in an olive T-shirt and pants, he appeared to have no visible injuries. On Monday, authorities confirmed he was in good health and remained under military protection.
The Eastern Independence Army (EIP), also known as the EMC, is the largest dissident faction from the FARC that rejected the historic 2016 peace agreement. They claimed responsibility for the kidnapping but did not demand a ransom. Instead, they warned Colombia’s new right-wing president, Abelardo De la Espriella, against launching any rescue operations.
France’s defense ministry stated that Melo Charry had not received authorization to travel to Colombia. He was traveling with a woman who was also taken hostage but released hours later. Kidnapping remains a common tactic for Colombian armed groups seeking extortion or political leverage, a reality underscored by the 2002 capture of Colombian-French politician Ingrid Betancourt, who was held for six years before a military rescue.
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