At Least 52 Dead in Colombia as Rival Guerrilla Factions Clash Over Drug Territory
At Least 52 Dead in Colombia as Rival Guerrilla Factions Clash Over Drug Territory
BOGOTA, May 28 (Reuters) – At least 52 guerrilla fighters were killed in days of fierce clashes between two rival armed groups battling for control of a strategic cocaine production and trafficking zone in southeastern Colombia, according to a statement from a faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) involved in the fighting.
The clashes – the deadliest in months – erupted deep in the jungles of Guaviare department, near the remote village of Barranco Colorado. The area, a key corridor for cocaine shipments and illegal mining, has long been a flashpoint for armed groups vying for dominance after the 2016 peace deal that disbanded the main FARC bloc.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed on social media that fighting had taken place and said the army had deployed troops to protect civilians, but neither he nor the military provided a casualty count. Sanchez described the situation as “complex” and urged residents to stay indoors.
Reuters could not independently verify the death toll, which was reported by one of the guerrilla factions. The two groups are led by Nestor Gregorio Vera, better known as Iván Mordisco, and Alexander Díaz Mendoza, alias Calarcá Córdoba – both commanders who rejected the 2016 peace accord and turned to drug trafficking and illegal mining to fund their operations.
Analysts say the clash underscores the steep challenges the Colombian government faces in reasserting control over lawless rural areas, where criminal economies fuel a spiral of violence. Human rights groups have warned that such fighting often displaces indigenous and farming communities, with little state protection available.
The violence comes as President Gustavo Petro pushes his “Total Peace” initiative, which calls for negotiations with all armed groups. However, skeptics argue that the latest bloodshed shows how far the government remains from consolidating peace, especially in territories where drug money rules.
(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Iñigo Alexander; Editing by Daina Beth Solomon)