Two rebels were killed in airstrikes ordered by Colombia’s new government, a military source told AFP on Tuesday (August 11, 2026), after Bogota pledged to fight a scourge of violence gripping the nation.
Political Context
In his first weekend as President, six members of illegal groups were killed during a military operation carried out in several parts of the country. The offensive against the National Liberation Army (ELN) — the oldest surviving guerrilla group in the Americas — was carried out late on Monday (August 10) in the northeastern Catatumbo region, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday (August 11). The strikes wounded at least three civilians, including a 44-year-old woman, in a village in the municipality of San Calixto, according to the state ombudsman’s office.
Several families were also forced to leave their homes, the agency said. The Defence Ministry said there was an “emphasis on protecting the civilian population,” adding that it destroyed two bunkers and five guerrilla camps. Following a legal career that saw him represent drug-trafficking paramilitaries, fraudsters and football stars, newly elected President Abelardo de la Espriella promised he would restore order after taking office on Friday.
