Relatives of disappeared brace themselves as bodies are exhumed from notorious mass grave in Colombia

"The largest urban military assault in Colombia's history was brutal. Helicopters fired on the streets from above; residents were dragged away in front of their families; women and girls were sexually abused; hundreds of people were arbitrarily detained, tortured or killed. At the time, the operation was hailed by figures such as then mayor Luis Perez Gutierrez and then president Alvaro Uribe as a victory against insurgents."

"But in the years since, Orion has also become a byword for the collusion between the army and rightwing paramilitaries, with testimonies revealing that the illegal groups entered alongside troops, kidnapping and killing suspected guerrilla collaborators. After the operations ended, the paramilitaries took control of the neighbourhood, ruling through fear, extortion and forced disappearances. Hermey turned to me, recalled Gomez. He said, Mum, these people are bad, these people are bad, we need to leave.' Gomez told her son that they had nothing to hide."

Operation Orion began in October 2002 as a large-scale military assault on Comuna 13 in Medellín aimed at removing urban guerrillas. The offensive turned streets into a battlefield, with helicopters firing on residential areas while people were dragged from their homes. Women and girls suffered sexual abuse, and hundreds of residents were arbitrarily detained, tortured or killed. Authorities initially framed the action as a victory, yet later testimonies exposed collusion between the army and rightwing paramilitaries. After the operation, paramilitaries seized control of the neighbourhood, imposing extortion, forced disappearances and a climate of fear.

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