French Foreign Legion corporal escapes FARC dissidents in Colombia after four-day trek

Four-day escape in the Andes

José Olger Melo Charry, a Colombian-born corporal in the French Foreign Legion, escaped from dissident guerrilla captors in southwestern Colombia after spending nearly a month in captivity. The soldier, aged between 34 and 35, slipped away from his guards on Thursday, 3 September 2026, and traversed the rugged Andean wilderness of the Nariño department on foot. After four days alone in the terrain, he reached a police station in the municipality of Policarpa at approximately 22:30 on Saturday, 5 September. Colombian military officials noted that his survival during the trek was aided by his specialized military training in the Legion. Following his arrival, security forces placed the soldier under immediate protection against potential retaliatory actions by armed groups operating in the region.

The August abduction in Nariño

Melo Charry was taken hostage on 6 August 2026 while traveling along a road in Nariño, a southwestern area with active illegal mining and narcotics corridors. He had arrived in Colombia on 5 August, just one day prior to the abduction, while on leave from his military unit. According to the French Ministry of Defence, the corporal had permission to stay in metropolitan France during his leave but had not received authorization to travel to Colombia. A woman traveling alongside him was also seized during the initial ambush on the highway, though the guerrilla unit released her several hours later. The French Foreign Legion operates as an elite combat wing of the French Army, comprising approximately 9,000 soldiers from dozens of nationalities under French command.

Guerrilla claims and government warnings

The Estado Mayor Central (EMC), the largest dissident faction of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) that rejected the 2016 peace agreement, claimed responsibility for the abduction. The rebel organization, commanded by alias Iván Mordisco, issued a public statement written in French to confirm it held the soldier.

He is alive, in perfect health, and has received adequate medical care and food.

Rebel commanders did not request a financial ransom in exchange for his release. The group also issued direct warnings to Colombian President Abelardo De la Espriella, threatening to respond to any armed rescue attempts conducted by state security forces. Armed groups in Colombia have carried out thousands of kidnappings over six decades of conflict to extract ransoms or apply political leverage.

Medical evaluation and ongoing protection

On the morning of Sunday, 6 September 2026, Colombian military forces transported Melo Charry by helicopter from El Ejido to a medical center in Pasto, the capital of Nariño. Hospital staff placed him under observation to conduct physical examinations and provide psychological support, with family members joining him at the facility. Investigators in Colombia are working to determine the precise circumstances of the escape and identify members of the Franco Benavides front involved in the kidnapping. The French Armed Forces General Staff confirmed on Monday, 7 September 2026, that the soldier is safe. Melo Charry remains under heavy security in Pasto as officials assess protection measures for his relatives living in the region.