Colombia: At Least 12 Dead in Clashes Between Rival Factions
Clashes between two dissident factions of the defunct FARC have resulted in at least twelve fatalities since Saturday in southwestern Colombia, according to local officials on Monday.
“Since November 30, twelve individuals have been killed in the fighting,” stated Yovani Cortes, a municipal official from Puerto Guzmán, during a local radio broadcast.
The confrontations involve fighters under the command of an individual known as Calarca, who is currently engaged in peace negotiations with the government, and members of the Segunda Marquetalia, as reported by military sources.
In Putumayo, a region bordering Ecuador, these two armed groups are competing for control over coca fields, which serve as the primary source of cocaine.
National media suggest that the death toll may be higher.
Calarca is one of the leading figures among the FARC dissidents (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) negotiating with delegates from President Gustavo Petro since October 2023.
The Segunda Marquetalia was formed by former FARC members who were demobilized following the historic peace agreement in 2016 but later resumed armed activities.
This group has since also become fragmented, as its leader Ivan Márquez publicly rejected ongoing peace negotiations with the government at the end of November.
