BOGOTA, Jan 28, 2025 (V7N) – Ongoing clashes between two guerrilla groups in Colombia's northeastern Catatumbo region have claimed 13 more lives over the weekend, bringing the death toll to 54 in less than two weeks, authorities confirmed Monday.

The violence has caused a humanitarian crisis, displacing nearly 48,000 people, with 11 reported injured and 12 missing. Fighting has erupted between the ELN guerrilla group and FARC dissidents, as they battle for control of territory and lucrative cocaine trafficking routes in the remote, coca-rich Catatumbo region along the Venezuelan border.

State of Emergency Declared

In response, the Colombian government has declared a state of emergency and deployed 10,000 soldiers to quell the violence, which threatens to derail the country's fragile peace process. President Gustavo Petro is expected to visit the region later today to address the crisis.

Military intelligence indicates that the ELN is targeting the FARC dissident 33rd Front in a campaign to consolidate dominance in the area. Analysts suggest the violence stems from a turf war over coca plantations and drug trade routes.

Impact on National Peace Process

Colombia has enjoyed a relative period of calm since the 2016 peace pact with FARC, which ended decades of civil war that left an estimated 450,000 people dead. However, the persistence of armed groups, including left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, and drug cartels, has destabilized certain regions.

Last week, the Colombian government reactivated arrest warrants for ELN leaders and halted peace talks with the group, signaling a hardened stance against the guerrillas.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The recent spate of violence has displaced thousands, with urgent humanitarian aid needed for those forced to flee their homes. The Norte de Santander governor’s office reported that the latest casualties, all FARC dissidents, highlight the ferocity of the ELN's offensive.

Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine producer, and the ongoing violence underscores the challenge of maintaining peace amid entrenched criminal and guerrilla networks vying for dominance.

END/WD/RH/