Colombians flee to Venezuela as clashes between rebel groups escalate in coca-rich border region

TRES BOCAS, Colombia (AP) — The Colombian border village of Tres Bocas has become a ghost town as residents flee to neighboring Venezuela to escape a new wave of violence in Colombia's Catatumbo region that has left at least 80 people dead and displaced thousands.

According to the United Nations, more than 18,000 people have fled the northeastern region as fighting between the National Liberation Army or ELN, and a rival group known as the FARC-EMC intensifies. Of those who had fled, about 1,000 have sought shelter in Venezuela.

“Many of them are afraid of the firefights that have broken out” in rural areas, said Jaime Botero, president of a community association in the town of Tibu, which is about 10 km (6 miles) to the west of Tres Bocas.

Located on Colombia’s border with Venezuela, the Catatumbo region has around 300,000 residents and produces 15% of Colombia’s coca crop.

The FARC-EMC and the ELN have long battled for control of the region and its lucrative drug trafficking routes, but had recently held a truce.

But violence escalated last week when members of the ELN attacked civilians, accusing them of collaborating with the FARC-EMC, with ELN rebels reportedly dragging people out of their homes and shooting them at close range.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended peace talks with the ELN on Friday, accusing the rebels of committing war crimes. On Monday night, Petro said he would issue an emergency decree that would enable him to pass legislation related to the conflict without congressional approval.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killing of civilians, including former combatants who signed the 2016 peace agreement, in the violence, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. And he is concerned by the reported displacement of thousands of civilians.

“The secretary-general calls for an immediate cessation of acts of violence against the civilian population and for unhindered humanitarian access,” Haq said late Tuesday.

The United Nations urged the ELN and other armed groups in the Catatumbo region to respect civilians' rights. The U.N. said that two human rights defenders were killed last week.

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Rueda reported from Bogota, Colombia.

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