Venezuelan armed forces condemn "paramilitary" attack on fort

Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-07 04:26:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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CARACAS, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's armed forces on Sunday condemned an early morning raid on a battalion that left one man dead and another seriously wounded.

Venezuela's National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) issued a statement condemning the attack against the 41st Armored Brigade stationed at the Paramacay Fort in the northern state of Carabobo.

"We strongly reiterate our condemnation of this attack," the military said, adding "it was executed by a group of civilian criminals wearing military clothes and a first lieutenant that has deserted."

The commander of the Strategic Operational Command, Remigio Ceballo, posted to Twitter that the FANB "successfully repelled the criminal paramilitary terrorist."

However, members of the group managed to steal some weapons before fleeing and are being searched for by authorities, the military said.

Seven others were captured and admitted to having been hired "by Venezuelan extreme right-wing activists, in connection with foreign governments," added the military.

"Today's attack is nothing more than a propaganda show ... a desperate move that forms part of plans to destabilize" the country, said the FANB.

In conjunction with the attack, a video was released by a former military official who had been stripped of his job on charges of treason and rebellion, and later fled to the United States, where he is living under a protection program, according to the military.

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