Cúcuta, a northeastern Colombian metropolis on the border with Venezuela, woke as much as 5 explosions on February 20. The Nationwide Liberation Military (ELN), the nation’s largest energetic insurgent insurgency, days later claimed duty for the assaults.
“In response to the counterinsurgency plan to exterminate the ELN… we inform the general public of this report of the struggle carried out within the cities and metropolitan areas of Colombia,” the ELN claimed on February 24 by way of Antorcha Estéreo, the group’s radio station.
“The Nationwide City Struggle Entrance (FGUN) reaffirms its dedication to the Colombian individuals and the development of a brand new society. Colombia… for the employees! Not one step again… liberation or demise!” the group added.
Image credit: Gabriel Perez by way of X.
The primary assault was in opposition to an Quick Response Police Submit (CAI) within the Villa del Rosario municipality, bordering Venezuela. On this, armed males detonated at the least three explosive costs and used gunfire at round 11:00 PM on February 19, according to newspaper La Silla Vacía.
13 minutes later, one other explosion was reported within the La Prada toll station, a key entry level to Venezuela, and all through the night time, authorities additionally famous assaults within the CAI close to La Prada. The ultimate explosion occurred at 6:00 AM on February 20 in a CAI within the San Rafael de Cúcuta neighborhood, shut to a college.
Preliminary data from authorities confirmed that six people had been wounded on account of the explosions, together with three toll staff, two safety personnel, and a citizen who was driving a bicycle by the world on the time of the incident, as per Venezuelan information outlet Telesur.
Following the incident, Cúcuta mayor Jorge Acevedo announced a curfew from February 20 at 7:00 PM, to February 21 at 6:00 AM, and cancelled faculty classes till Monday.
Equally, the Norte de Santander Well being Division took danger administration measures in preparation of a large inflow of sufferers, together with emergency hospital plans, a every day monitoring of drugs shares, reinforcing the protection protocols for medical personnel, heightened authorities vigilance, and the formulation of contingency plans for rural areas which have just lately obtained displaced populations from the embattled Catatumbo area.
Catatumbo, north of Cúcuta and alongside Colombia’s border with Venezuela, has since January been experiencing the worst humanitarian disaster within the nation’s current historical past, with over 54,000 victims of pressured displacement, and as many as 80 individuals killed. A minimum of 20,000 displaced fleeing people have arrived in Cúcuta within the final month, and the nationwide authorities issued an Inside Commotion Decree in late January to deal with the emergency.
Learn extra: Tibú, a town at the center of Colombia’s worst humanitarian crisis in a decade
Violence within the ‘home of thunder’
Violence erupted on January 16, between the ELN and the Frente 33, a dissident group from the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), though confrontation in Catatumbo amongst completely different unlawful armed teams a lot predates the current disaster.
Catatumbo, which means “home of thunder” within the Barí indigenous language, has been a hotspot for armed battle since at the least the Nineties, when the United Self-Defenses of Colombia (AUC) paramilitary group expanded its management amongst its municipalities, according to the Colombian Historic Reminiscence Middle (CNMH).
Image credit: Bourrichon by way of Wikimedia Commons.
The CNMH additionally notes that the area is very coveted by unlawful armed teams due to its richness in pure resources- from oil to water-, its various thermal zones, making it a great location for all kinds of crops, and its proximity to Venezuela.
This, the BBC found, makes it a great hall for weapons smuggling and drug trafficking, a possibility that the ELN has seized on because the signing of the 2016 FARC peace settlement. Finally, the ELN now operates as a binational guerrilla.
In August 2023, the federal government, led by left-wing President Gustavo Petro, established peace talks with the ELN, which had been unsuccessful throughout six earlier administrations, as per newspaper El Espectador.
The negotiations have been troublesome, with a suspension in September 2024 after the ELN bombed a navy base, and most just lately in January 17 due to violence in Catatumbo.
“What the ELN has carried out in Catatumbo are struggle crimes. The peace talks with this group are suspended; the ELN has no actual intention of peace,” Petro stated.
Far-reaching development
The rising violence in Catatumbo and the explosions in Cúcuta reply to a wider development of escalating violence throughout the nation, attributed to completely different armed teams.
On the identical night time because the explosions started in Cúcuta, on February 19, the south-western metropolis of Popayán was additionally attacked, this time by way of drones carrying explosives.
Image credit: Luis Carlos Vélez by way of X.
According to La Silla Vacía, the explosions occurred first in a Popayán CAI, after which on the Laura Valencia Momentary Detention Middle. On this case, there have been no reported deaths or accidents, however there was extreme infrastructural harm.
The Popayán mayor’s workplace has since set a $20 million COP ($5,000 USD) reward for any details about these liable for the assaults.
The incidents, nonetheless, occurred within the context of advancing warfare from the “Mordisco” Entrance in Popayán, one other FARC dissident group that splintered from the broader Central Normal Workers (EMC) dissidents in April 2024.
The separation of the Mordisco Entrance, commanded by Nestor Vera Fernández, recognized beneath the nom de guerre of “Iván Mordisco”, adopted alleged inner disputes inside the EMC on tips on how to deal with a ceasefire suspension imposed by the federal government.
This wave of violence throughout Colombia is going on in opposition to the backdrop of President Petro’s Whole Peace Coverage, by which the federal government is negotiating with 9 armed teams concurrently.
To this point, each Amnesty Worldwide and the United Nations have issued alerts on the state of affairs, calling on Colombian authorities to assist victims.
“Amnesty Worldwide urges Colombian authorities to proceed and strengthen actions to guard the lives and integrity of the civilian inhabitants in Catatumbo, together with human rights defenders, their organizations and communities, in addition to victims of pressured displacement and different severe human rights violations,” the rights group stated in January.
“We urge non-state armed actors to respect the human rights of the inhabitants and to adjust to the principles of Worldwide Humanitarian Legislation to which they’re sure. We reiterate the prohibition of indiscriminate assaults, using landmines, and the recruitment of ladies and boys,” the United Nations added, following the assaults in Popayán.
Featured Picture Credit score: Manolesco by way of X.
