Colombia: ELN attack military escort in Arauca August 14

Event

Members of the ELN (National Liberation Army) guerrilla group carried out an attack against a convoy of soldiers escorting a vehicle in Tame (Arauca department) on Monday night, August 14. The attack left three soldiers injured and the army has been deployed to secure the area.

Context

The ELN continue to be highly active in various parts of the country despite ongoing peace talks between the group and the government, launched in February 2017. The ELN, the country's last remaining rebel group following the demobilization of the FARC, is present in various areas of the country including Arauca, Boyacá, Norte de Santander, La Guajira, Cesar, Bolívar, Casanare, Santander, Chocó, Cauca, Nariño, and Putumayo departments, particularly in rural zones. Meanwhile, paramilitary crime organizations (BACRIM) have replaced leftist guerrillas as the most serious armed threat in Colombia today, and have become increasingly active in recent months.

Advice

Due to the presence of a number of armed groups - including organized crime groups, drug cartels, right-wing militias, and local gangs in addition to the ELN - many Western governments advise against travel to various regions of the country (particularly rural zones), with the notable exceptions of the northern Caribbean regions and central areas (including Bogotá).