Puno: Soldiers say they were forced to cross a river because vandals threw stones at them

The Ministry of Defense (Mindef) has confirmed that to date 4 soldiers have been killed attempting to cross the Ilawe River, in Fistas part of an operation ahead of demonstrations against the government and Congress that took place yesterday in the area.

In this regard, a video filmed in the barracks in the city of Fist sheds light on what could have happened in events that had a fatal outcome.

“We had nowhere to run”

In the audiovisual material, you can see a group of soldiers with blankets on their backs, who, when asked by an officer about what happened, answer that they were surrounded crowd of vandals who attacked them with stones, so they had to cross the river.

“The reason we crossed the river was because we had nowhere to run, they were about 800-900 people They practically surrounded us. They started throwing rocks at us. There we began to cross the river. It was the only way out that we had to save our lives as officers, as soldiers, and as technicians, ”said one of the soldiers.

They also indicated that they needed to make a “human chain” in order to be able to cross the waters of the river. key. However, as the attacks continued, the chain broke and several soldiers fell victim to the current.

“They insisted on throwing stones at us (…), insults began. And here the chains parted, those of us who were walking, and the troops were carried away by the current, and there they began to sink, ”the corporal pointed out.

It is worth noting that at the moment four bodies of dead soldiers have been found, and two more are missing.

The names of the dead corporals, according to Defense Department, are Franz Canasas Kauaya, Alex Quispe Serrano, Elvis Pari Kiso and soldier Elias Lupaka Inquillas.