Reports from the Colombian government or international humanitarian organizations

Colombia Declares State of Internal Disturbance as ELN and FARC Dissidents Clash in Catatumbo, Causing 80 Deaths and Displacing 36,000

Jan 22, 2025, 12:42 PM

The Colombian government has declared a state of internal disturbance in response to escalating violence in the Catatumbo region, where clashes between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have resulted in at least 80 deaths and the displacement of over 36,000 people. President Gustavo Petro has suspended peace talks with the ELN and deployed additional military forces to the area. The violence has led to significant humanitarian concerns, with reports of forced displacement, confinement, and the interruption of education for 46,000 children. Six signatories of the peace accords have been killed amid the conflict. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has condemned the situation, highlighting serious violations of international humanitarian law. The Colombian government has also requested Venezuela to enhance border control to prevent ELN fighters from using Venezuelan territory as a base. The European Union and its member states have condemned the ELN's campaign of violence in the region, urging an immediate cessation of hostilities.