The Search Unit exhumed 13 bodies in cemeteries in Urabá and are looking for more than 300 in Turbo

The Unidad de Búsqueda de Personas Dadas por Desaparecidas (UBPD) has begun exhuming bodies in cemeteries in Urabá, uncovering 13 remains so far, with more than 300 still believed to be buried in Turbo. The operation marks a critical phase in efforts to locate and identify victims of past conflicts in the region. According to officials, seven of the 13 exhumed bodies have already been identified, and formal handovers to families are planned for August in three regions of the country. The initial phase of the operation took place in Turbo and its neighboring corregimiento of Currulao. Forensic teams recovered 11 bodies from the local cemetery in Turbo and two additional remains from the cemetery in Currulao. Using post-mortem verification methods, experts were able to immediately confirm the identities of seven individuals found during this stage. The process relies heavily on comparing physical characteristics, clothing, footwear, and other identifying features observed by family members present at the site. Juan Camilo Gallego Castro, who oversees the humanitarian investigation, stated that five bodies will be formally handed over to their families in the departments of Antioquia, Chocó, and Bolívar during August. The involvement of families searching for loved ones has proven essential to the identification process, as their observations help accelerate comparisons and confirmations. This collaboration underscores the importance of community participation in such sensitive and complex operations. The conflict's long-term impact on the area remains one of the greatest challenges for the UBPD. It is estimated that more than 300 missing persons are buried in the main cemetery in Turbo alone, part of a larger number of 1,700 recorded victims in the district. These cases primarily stem from incidents occurring in the decades of the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. To address this issue, the UBPD has outlined a phased approach, aiming to recover 84 bodies from caskets this year before moving on to ground searches. The work in Turbo is part of the broader Plan Regional de Búsqueda del Eje Bananero, which includes nearly 4,000 records among the more than 137,000 nationwide reports of disappeared persons. As of now, the Territorial Working Group for Urabá has confirmed the recovery of 138 bodies—123 from cemeteries in Apartadó, Carepa, Chigorodó, and Turbo, and 15 from open fields, and conducted 32 dignified handovers in the region. To maintain momentum in these investigations, the UBPD has urged citizens to provide confidential information about potential mass graves or cemeteries containing remains. Those wishing to contribute can contact the organization through its office at the Mall La 100 in Apartadó or via phone and WhatsApp at 316 284 25 61. The agency emphasized the need for public cooperation to continue making progress in locating and identifying the missing. The scale of the effort reflects both the historical depth of the conflict’s impact and the ongoing commitment to addressing unresolved cases. With each body recovered, families receive closure, while the broader society moves closer to confronting the legacy of violence that shaped much of the nation’s recent history. The search continues, driven by the determination of forensic teams and the support of communities seeking justice and remembrance.