Image copyright Getty Pictures Image caption The Catatumbo area has long been one in all the hardest hit through armed battle
Eight people were killed in a shoot-out in north-east Colombia.
Armed males on bikes arrived at a billiard hall in the village of El Tarra in Norte de Santander province and opened fireplace on the ones inside.
The area on the border with Venezuela has been hit through a feud between the Nationwide Liberation Army (ELN) riot staff and a holiday-away faction, the popular Liberation Military (EPL).
Thousands of individuals have been displaced as a results of the preventing.
who’re the ELN rebels?
Image copyright Getty Photographs Symbol caption The ELN staff has been combating the Colombian state for greater than 5 a long time The guerrilla workforce used to be founded in 1964 to battle in opposition to Colombia’s unequal distribution of land and riches, impressed by means of the Cuban revolution of 1959 Over the a long time, the group has attacked large landholders and multinational corporations, and time and again blown up oil pipelines To finance itself it has resorted to extortion, kidnappings and drug trafficking It has been most powerful in rural areas
Colombia’s president-pick, Iván Duque, who shall be sworn into workplace subsequent week, condemned the assault on Twitter.
Image Copyright @IvanDuque @IvanDuque
Mr Duque used to be elected in June and one among his primary marketing campaign pledges was to extend safety.
He has additionally expressed his competition to peace talks between the ELN and the government pronouncing he could make negotiations conditional at the ELN ceasing its assaults.
ELN peace talks: What are the demanding situations? Iván Duque: Puppet or rock superstar?
Monday’s incident took place in Catatumbo, a space with minimal police and armed forces presence. It has been hard hit by way of the struggle between the ELN and the EPL for regulate over drug trafficking routes to Venezuela.
Human rights teams say the conflict has led to tens of thousands of students lacking out on class as faculties quickly close their doors because of the escalating violence.
Colombia’s primary revolt staff, the Progressive Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), signed a peace settlement with the government in 2016 and a few of its former combatants have considering that joined Congress.
But analysts say reaching a take care of the smaller ELN group may just prove tougher as it is less hierarchical and ideologically much less versatile than the Farc.
in the period in-between, the military has been deployed to Catatumbo to spice up safety.
