Mexico
Mexico: vigilantes and narcos in hostage swap
The ongoing regional war in Mexico's Guerrero state between narco gangs and the anti-narco "community police" militia movement resulted in a hostage stand-off.
Tag: paramilitaries
The Andes
Colombia: denialism on slayings of social leaders
Amid concern that Colombia's peace process could be jeopardized by ongoing assassinations of social leaders, the Defense Ministry said the slayings are "not systematic."
The Andes
Colombia: new attacks threaten talks with ELN
Colombian authorities are blaming ELN guerillas in a wave of attacks on security forces around the country, again jeopardizing the planned opening of peace talks.
Southeast Asia
Duterte boasts of personally killing drug suspects
The Philippines' ultra-hardline President Rodrigo Duterte—facing international outrage for his bloody anti-drug crackdown—boasted that he has "personally" killed suspects.
Iraq
Iraq: militia accused of extrajudicial executions
A Shi'ite militia backed by the Iraqi government is accused of summarily executing men captured in a village outside Mosul who were suspected of being ISIS supporters.
The Andes
Colombia: unrelenting terror against social leaders
Despite advances for the peace process with the FARC rebels, the wave of assassinations of social leaders across Colombia by presumed paramilitary hitmen is unabated.
Greater Middle East
General massacre feared with fall of Aleppo
As pro-Assad forces close in on the last opposition-held areas of Aleppo, reports are coming out of the stricken city that residents face mass detention and atrocities.
The Andes
Chiquita banana terrorism case can proceed: judge
A federal judge in Florida ruled that victims of illegal right-wing paramilitary networks in Colombia may sue banana giant Chiquita Brands under US jurisdiction.
The Andes
UN: ‘major challenges’ for FARC demobilization
The United Nations warned that Colombia's peace process faces "major challenges," urging the government and FARC rebels to "act swiftly" to demobilize and disarm the guerillas.
The Andes
Colombia: FARC peace agreement takes effect
With Colombia's Congress voting to approve the revised peace accord with the FARC rebels, the country is on a countdown to the full demobilization of the guerilla army.
Mexico
Mexico: ‘community police’ co-opted by cartels?
Bloody internecine fighting in Guerrero state fuels fears that Mexico's anti-narco "community police" groups could themselves be co-opted by the warring cartels.
Iraq
Iraq gives Shi’ite militias legal status to fight ISIS
Iraq's parliament voted to give the Shi'ite militias fighting ISIS an official paramilitary status—a move assailed by critics who say these forces are enflaming sectarian warfare.