Over the weekend, more than 80 people were killed in Colombia’s northeast after the government’s failed efforts to negotiate peace with the National Liberation Army (ELN), according to a Colombian official. The violence also left 20 others injured and forced thousands of people to flee their homes. The governor of North Santander, William Villamizar, reported that the army worked to evacuate residents on Sunday. Among the victims were community leader Carmelo Guerrero and seven individuals involved in peace negotiations.
The attacks took place across several towns in the Catatumbo region, which lies near the Venezuela border. At least three individuals linked to the peace talks were kidnapped. As a result, thousands have fled the area, with some hiding in nearby mountains, while others have sought refuge in government shelters.
Juan Gutiérrez, who fled with his family to a temporary shelter in Tibú, described their harrowing escape, saying, “We were caught in the crossfire.” He added that they had no time to gather their belongings or animals, expressing hope that the government would remember their plight. “We are helpless here,” he said.
On Sunday, Colombia’s army rescued dozens of people, including a family and their pet dog. The dog’s owner kept a cold pack against the animal’s chest as they were evacuated by helicopter.
Defense Minister Iván Velásquez visited Cúcuta, a town in the northeast, on Sunday to hold security meetings and urged armed groups to disarm. “Our priority is to save lives and ensure the security of the communities,” he said, noting that troops had been deployed throughout the region.
Officials also prepared to send 10 tons of food and hygiene kits to assist around 5,000 people who had fled violence in the towns of Ocaña and Tibú.
In a public address on Saturday, Villamizar called for urgent assistance for the Catatumbo region, stating, “Catatumbo needs help.” He described how people, including children, teenagers, and entire families, were arriving with nothing, using whatever means of transportation they could—trucks, dump trucks, motorcycles, or simply walking—to escape the violence and avoid becoming victims of the conflict.
The attack occurred after Colombia’s government suspended peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) on Friday, marking the second time in less than a year that such talks have been halted. The Colombian government has called for the ELN to stop all attacks and allow authorities to enter the affected regions to provide humanitarian aid.
José Trinidad, a municipal official from Convención in the North Santander region, expressed concern, saying, “Displacement is killing us here in the region,” and feared the crisis could worsen. He urged insurgent groups to negotiate a new agreement so that civilians wouldn’t continue to suffer.
The ELN has been engaged in violent clashes with former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a guerrilla group that disbanded in 2016 after signing a peace agreement with the Colombian government. The two groups are fighting for control of the Catatumbo region, a strategically important area with coca leaf plantations.
In a statement on Saturday, the ELN warned former FARC members that if they continued attacking civilians, “there was no other way out than armed confrontation.” The ELN has accused ex-FARC rebels of several killings in the region, including the murder of a couple and their 9-month-old baby on January 15.
Army commander Gen. Luis Emilio Cardozo Santamaría announced on Saturday that authorities were strengthening a humanitarian corridor between Tibú and Cúcuta to ensure the safe passage of those fleeing the violence. He also mentioned the deployment of special urban troops to municipal capitals, where there are significant risks and widespread fear.
The ELN has attempted to negotiate a peace agreement with President Gustavo Petro’s government five times, but these talks have failed each time due to continued violence. One of the ELN’s key demands is to be recognized as a political rebel group, a request that critics warn could be problematic.