The Unit of Search of Missing Persons has recovered 28 bodies in the cemetery of Sincelejo

The Unidad de Búsqueda de Personas Desaparecidas (UBPD) has recovered 28 bodies from the central cemetery in Sincelejo, Colombia, as part of a humanitarian operation aimed at identifying victims of past conflicts. The latest discovery includes 13 bodies found during a second search conducted between July 23 and July 28. These remains have been handed over to families for proper Christian burial. The initial recovery took place earlier this year, with 15 bodies identified in April. The first search, which began in April, uncovered 15 bodies believed to belong to individuals who disappeared during armed conflict in several municipalities within the Montes de María region of Sucre province. These areas include Chalán, Colosó, Ovejas, Toluviejo, San Onofre, Morroa, and Los Palmitos, along with their rural zones. Other affected regions include parts of Mojana and San Jorge, where fighting involving FARC fronts 35 and 37, paramilitary groups, the army, and the National Navy took place. The current operation is part of a broader regional search plan focused on the Sabanas, San Jorge, and Mojana areas. According to official records, there are 1,251 people listed as missing in Sucre province. The work involves forensic experts, anthropologists, and topographers working under the jurisdiction of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). This initiative aims to quickly identify the recovered bodies and provide closure to families. The search efforts in the central cemetery of Sincelejo targeted areas typically used for burying unidentified bodies or those whose identities had not been claimed. The process included collaboration with multiple organizations such as the National Victims Movement (Movice), the Nydia Érika Bautista Foundation, Mujer Sigue Mis Pasos, Narrar Para Vivir, the Tejedoras de la Memoria Victims Network, the Humanitarian Corporation Reencuentros, Caribe Afirmativo, and local municipal and departmental victim committees in Sincelejo and Sucre. During the first phase of the investigation, four of the 15 bodies discovered in April were identified and returned to their families for burial. The remaining bodies are being analyzed at the Center for Forensic and Identification Support (CIAFI), operated by the UBPD. Similarly, all 13 newly found bodies will undergo the same identification process at CIAFI. The second search was initially scheduled to end on July 30 but concluded on July 28 after recovering 13 additional bodies. Families of the missing were allowed to participate directly in the process, providing them with insight into how the organization operates and ensuring transparency in its procedures. Five of the 13 recently recovered bodies have already been sent to CIAFI for analysis, while the rest are expected to follow soon. The ongoing efforts highlight the continued impact of past conflicts on communities in Sucre and surrounding areas, as well as the importance of forensic identification in bringing resolution to long-standing cases of disappearance.