Colombia: Rebels ambush soldiers in North Santander department November 21

Event

At least two Colombian soldiers were reportedly killed in North Santander department in a rebel ambush on Saturday, November 21. The Colombian military claimed that the ambush in the Tibú municipality was carried out by dissidents of the rebel Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) group. Two other soldiers were injured during the attack, with both reportedly in serious condition in a hospital in Cúcuta.

A heightened security presence is likely in the vicinity of the incident over the near term. Further attacks by FARC dissidents cannot be ruled out.

Context

A peace deal between FARC leadership and the Colombian government was ratified by the Colombian Congress in November 2016, officially ending an armed conflict that killed more than 260,000 people over five decades. However, some dissident ex-FARC militants remain active, notably in the Colombian-Ecuadorian border region.

Advice

Individuals in or planning travel to Colombia are advised to keep abreast of the situation. Due to the presence of a number of armed groups - including drug cartels, right-wing militias, local gangs, and the ELN guerrilla group in addition to ex-FARC dissidents - Western governments generally advise against travel to various regions of the country, most notably most border areas on the frontiers with Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, and Panama.