23 Nov 2018 | 03:13 PM UTC
Colombia: Oil pipeline attack in Boyacá department November 22 /update 1
Caño Limón-Coveñas oil pipeline attacked in Boyacá department November 22; 84th attack in 2018; no casualties
Event
A bombing attack was carried out against the Caño Limón-Coveñas oil pipeline on Thursday, November 22, in a rural area of Boyacá department’s Cubará municipality, located near the border with Venezuela. No casualties were reported but the incident resulted in environmental contamination.
Context
Similar incidents occurred in Arauca department on November 12, in Norte de Santander department on November 10, and in Cubará on November 8. At least one was attributed to the ELN (Ejército de Liberación Nacional) guerrilla group. The November 22 attack was the 84th targeting the pipeline since the beginning of the year. Of these, 66 were perpetrated in Norte de Santander, 12 in Arauca, and six in Boyacá.
Limón-Coveñas is Colombia’s most important pipeline, with a daily transportation capacity of 210,000 barrels.
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 - some Western governments advise against travel to various parts of the country, including the Venezuelan border region.
