Ignoto Militi

In this project I explore the physical and emotional wounds of soldiers in Colombia, after the end of the internal armed conflict with the rebel group FARC.

In 2016, fifty years of internal armed conflict in Colombia came to an end after 6 years of peace negotiations with the rebel group FARC. Since 1990, over 7,000 military soldiers were killed or suffered mutilation by landmines planted by the guerrillas. In this project I explore the physical and emotional wounds of war from the "unknown soldiers" side, by approaching them in the region where the main Colombian Marines training base is located (Coveñas and San Antero, Sucre Region, Colombia).

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Image from the Ignoto Militi photography project
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Ismael Mena, Retired Marine Corps Soldier. Wounded by a landmine while his company was attacked in an ambuscade by the FARC guerrilla, in rural area of Coveñas (Colombia), on October 1996. Ismael suffered mutilation of his left leg. (San Antero, Cordoba, 2016).

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Since 1990, over 7,000 Military Forces soldiers in Colombia have been killed or wounded by landmines suffering mutilation.
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Since 1990, over 7,000 Military Forces soldiers in Colombia have been killed or wounded by landmines suffering mutilation.

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Image from the Ignoto Militi photography project
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Hundreds of soldiers were kidnapped by the FARC guerrilla and they were kept herded in barbed wire cages, some of them for years. Marines Museum at the Marines Training Base (Coveñas, 2016).

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Image from the Ignoto Militi photography project
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After 20 years since Ismael Mena suffered mutilation of his left leg after stepping on a land mine, tears still well up from his eyes when he recalls that day. Ismael says that he has forgiven and feels peacefully "thanks to the support of God and his wife". (San Antero, Colombia, 2016).

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Image from the Ignoto Militi photography project
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Edgar Ariza, Marine Corps Soldier. Suffered amputation of metatarsals of his left foot and 80% hearing loss. Wounded in combat on October 2000, in Meta Region. (Coveñas, Colombia, 2016).

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Image from the Ignoto Militi photography project
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Edgar Ariza expresses anger and sadness feelings. He talks about how hard it was to stay far from home for months while he was on duty, missing his wife and kids. Edgar suffered amputation of metatarsals of his left foot and 80% hearing loss after combats in Meta Region on October 2000. (Coveñas, Sucre, 2016).

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Image from the Ignoto Militi photography project
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Edgar Ariza, Marine Corps Soldier. Edgar suffered amputation of metatarsals of his left foot and 80% hearing loss, after combats in Meta region on October 2000. (Coveñas, Sucre, 2016).

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Coveñas Marines Training Base (Coveñas, Colombia, 2016).
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Coveñas Marines Training Base (Coveñas, Colombia, 2016).

© Javier Rozo Vengoechea - Image from the Ignoto Militi photography project
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Memories in the family photo album of María Montes, widow of Marines Corp Soldier Hernan Florez. On September 2002, Hernan fell in combat with the FARC guerrilla in rural zone of Ovejas municipality, Colombia. (Cartagena, Colombia, 2016).

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