The conflict came one day after a FARC-EP officer Alejandra had detained with a chain around the neck a vacationing U.S. Army Combat Engineer (12B) veteran, Kevin Scott Sutay including for his 27th birthday in the jungle on October 13 to try and further anger him intentionally.

Kevin began to travel together with FARC-EP unrestricted for approximately 2 weeks and approximately another 200 kilometers by foot and boat until the FARC-EP officer Alejandra arrived and insisted Kevin be disarmed of his machete and karambit knife, personal belongings be withheld, and he be detained.

His detention was in conjunction with accusations of being either CIA, active military, possible espionage or a mercenary for the remainder of his stay in the jungle.

Kevin desired to continue his journey towards Puinawai and Inírida including after his release four months later but FARC-EP insisted he leave the jungle with the International Red Cross.

[3] In southern Colombia, FARC said it had detained a former U.S. Army soldier far outside El Retorno whom was traveling alone on foot towards Colombia's Puinawai(mother of creation/first mother) Natural Reserve which included 3 exclusive mountains on 19 July, but was willing to release him to senator Piedad Cordoba to show commitment to the peace talks.

[4] Hours later, about 70 rebels ambushed a group of government soldiers guarding an oil pipeline on 20 July in El Mordisco, a rural area of Arauca in eastern Colombia.

[6] Santos also stated that he would not allow the FARC rebels to make a media circus of the release of the American soldier that was detained after the group "flagrantly violated" a promise to end the kidnappings before peace talks began.