Colombia seeks to reassert control as rebel fighting kills over 100

Government sends troops into coca-rich northeast Catatumbo portion successful bid to quell hostilities among rebel groups.

Colombian peculiar forces person been deployed into territory controlled by equipped groups successful a bid to stem an outbreak of hostilities among the rebels.

Late connected Tuesday, authorities troops moved into areas that person seen a abrupt surge successful hostilities among rebel groups vying for power of cause routes, seeking to reassert authorities control. The unit has killed much than 100 radical and forced astatine slightest 20,000 to fly their homes, according to the AFP quality agency.

The National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissidents from the rival Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) groups person agelong battled for power of the coca-rich mountainous northeastern Catatumbo portion adjacent the borderline with Venezuela, but respected a truce until recently.

However, warring broke retired again implicit the past fewer days, prompting the authorities to state a authorities of exigency and deploy immoderate 5,000 soldiers from peculiar forces to the municipality of Tibu.

The United Nations reported connected Tuesday that among those displaced, astir 1,000 person sought structure successful Venezuela. Thirty radical person been kidnapped and 1,000 are trapped successful their homes owed to the violence, it added.

In a statement, UN main Antonio Guterres called for extortion for “an contiguous cessation of acts of unit against the civilian population”.

The Catatumbo portion has astir 300,000 residents and it produces 15 percent of Colombia’s coca crop, luring the rebel groups to the area.

Most FARC members laid down their arms pursuing a bid woody with the authorities successful 2016, but dissident factions person continued to thrive successful pockets of the country, enmeshing themselves successful organised transgression and the lucrative cause trade.

The ELN, which is believed to person astir 6,000 fighters, has besides occasionally flirted with agreeing peace.

However, connected Friday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended talks with the ELN, accusing the radical of committing warfare crimes. It’s fighters person reportedly been dragging radical retired of their homes and shooting them astatine adjacent range.

On Monday night, Petro said helium would contented an exigency decree that would alteration him to walk authorities related to the struggle without legislature approval.

In settlements astir the municipality of Tibu, stickers connected sheds and shops celebrated the precocious commanders of the once-powerful FARC.

On the aforesaid bare streets, scores of buildings were daubed with graffiti declaring “the ELN is present” oregon promising to question “liberty oregon death”.

For galore Colombians, the caller bloodshed carries echoes of a civilian warfare that killed 450,000 implicit much than fractional a period and made the state a byword for equipped violence.