Between 2024 and July 31, 2026, the Defensoría del Pueblo logged 1,173 cases of forced recruitment of minors by illegal armed groups, including 97 cases registered between January and July 2026. ^[1] The Defensoría del Pueblo, Colombia's human rights ombudsman, reported that 73 children and adolescents died as a consequence of military operations between August 7, 2022 and June 23, 2026, with 31 of those deaths occurring in 2025. ^[2] Iris Marín, Colombia's Human Rights Defender, stated on 2026-08-28 that the state must take extreme precautions in military operations when there is a high probability of child recruits being present. ^[3] Four minors have died in two military operations conducted during the first weeks of the current Colombian government. ^[4] Three minors died during an operation by the Public Force in El Retorno, Guaviare, while a fourth minor died in a bombing in Catatumbo on August 10. ^[5] Ombudsman Iris Marín said the official recruitment figures understate the problem, arguing that a decrease in reported cases reflects increased underreporting rather than a real decline, and citing fear, normalization of the practice, and lack of reporting mechanisms as reasons. ^[6] The Defensoría del Pueblo argued that recruited minors retain their victim status under international humanitarian law, that membership in an armed group does not automatically make them combatants, and that military operations must apply extra precautions and consider less harmful alternatives when minors may be present; it also called on the national government to reactivate the CIPRUNNA commission for preventing child recruitment. ^[7] A bombing on August 27, 2026, against armed group dissidences in El Retorno, Guaviare, killed 10 people, including three minors aged 15 and 16. ^[8] Between 2024 and July 31, 2026, Colombia's Defender's Office recorded 1,173 cases of child recruitment, with 97 cases in the first seven months of 2026 alone. ^[9] Iris Marín asserted that the state has a duty to evaluate alternatives and adopt all feasible precautions to prevent the death of children recruited by illegal armed groups. ^[10] Nineteen congressmen supported a motion of censure against Defense Minister Jorge Eduardo Mora to demand explanations regarding pre-operation intelligence and risk reduction measures. ^[11] The Public Defender's Office reported 1,173 cases of child recruitment by illegal groups between 2024 and July 31, 2026, warning of significant underreporting. ^[12]