20 Apr 2018 | 06:35 PM UTC
Colombia: ELN and EPL clashes break out in Catatumbo April 19 /update 8
ELN and EPL clashes kill two people and wound two others in San Calixto municipality (Norte de Santander department), Catatumbo region, April 19
Event
Clashes between the ELN (Ejército de Liberación Nacional) and the EPL (Ejército Popular de Liberación) broke out in the Catatumbo region on Thursday, April 19. The skirmish began around dawn (local time) in the village of El Cerro in San Calixto municipality (Norte de Santander department), resulting in two young people being killed and two others wounded. Additional clashes between the ELN and EPL, and consequent civilian casualties, are possible in the Catatumbo region in the coming days and weeks.
Context
On April 16, the governor of Norte de Santander declared a state of emergency in the department's Catatumbo region amid an escalation of deadly violence between fighters from the ELN and the EPL in recent weeks. The conflict has escalated considerably since mid-March.
The violence between the ELN and EPL is primarily attributed to a contest between the groups for control of coca-growing lands in the region, which were vacated by the now-demobilized FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) guerrilla group following a peace agreement with the Colombian government in 2016. Government forces have struggled to provide security in many such rural areas of the country formerly controlled by the FARC rebels.
The Colombian government declared a humanitarian emergency for the region on April 5.
Catatumbo is located in the northeast of Norte de Santander along the Venezuelan border and comprises the following 11 municipalities: Ábrego, Convención, El Carmen, El Tarra, Hacarí, La Playa, Ocaña, San Calixto, Sardinata, Teorama, and Tibú.
Advice
Individuals in Norte de Santander are advised to keep abreast of the situation and continue to postpone nonessential travel to the Catatumbo region until further notice. On a more general note, due to the presence of a number of armed groups, some Western governments advise against travel to various parts of the country, including much of Norte de Santander department and other areas along the Venezuelan border.
