At least 80 people have been killed and more than 18,000 forced to leave their homes in Colombia amid escalating violence between rebel groups.
ADVERTISEMENTAbout 1,000 residents of a Colombian border village have fled to neighbouring Venezuela to escape escalating guerrilla violence in Colombia’s Catatumbo region which has killed at least 80 people and driven thousands from their homes, according to the UN.
Fighting flared up last week between the National Liberation Army (ELN), a rebel group, and former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a guerrilla group that disbanded in 2016 after signing a peace agreement with the government.
More than 18,000 people have been forced to flee the northeastern region — with approximately 1,000 crossing into Venezuela — the UN said on Tuesday.
«Many of them are afraid of the firefights that have broken out,» said Jaime Botero, a community leader in town of Tibu, about 10 kilometres west of Tres Bocas — the border village which now resembles a ghost town.
The violence stems from renewed clashes between the ELN and a faction called the FARC-EMC, which are vying for control of lucrative drug trafficking routes in Catatumbo, a region responsible for 15% of Colombia’s coca production.
Though previously under a truce, the conflict reignited last week when ELN rebels attacked civilians, accusing them of collaborating with the FARC-EMC.
Reports detail civilians being forcibly removed from their homes and shot at close range.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended peace talks with the ELN on Friday, accusing the group of war crimes. On Monday, he said he would issue an emergency decree enabling expedited legislation to address the conflict.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the violence and displacement, urging armed groups to halt attacks on civilians.
“The secretary-general calls for an immediate cessation of acts of violence against the civilian population and for unhindered humanitarian access,” said UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.
The UN also urged the ELN and other armed groups to respect civilians’ rights in the Catatumbo region, noting that two human rights defenders were killed there last week.
