Since mid-January 2023, violence has erupted in Colombia's Catatumbo region due to conflicts between the guerrilla group ELN and FARC splinter groups, claiming at least 80 lives. An additional 20 deaths have occurred in the Amazonas region. The Colombian military states that around 20,000 individuals have fled their homes due to the growing hostilities. Calls for a ceasefire from international leaders, particularly from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, highlight the urgent need for stability as these factions vie for control over lucrative illegal trades in the area.
"They have pulled people from their houses and cruelly murdered them," army commander General Luis Emilio Cardozo said in an internet video. "It is our job as the national army to stabilize the region."
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for an "immediate cessation of acts of violence against the civilian population," said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. "The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the recent violence in the Catatumbo region of Colombia."
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