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Violence between armed groups in the Catatumbo region has displaced more than 32,000 people, human rights groups estimate.
Colombia's president has issued a decree giving himself emergency powers to restore order in a region bordering Venezuela that has been rocked by an outbreak of deadly violence between rival armed groups.
To Gustavo Petro decree on Friday gave him up to 270 days to impose curfews, restrict traffic and take other steps that would typically violate Colombians' civil rights or require congressional approval, the Associated Press reported.
Applies to the rural region of Catatumbo on Colombia's northeastern border with Venezuela.
The area has seen a spike in violence since mid-January between rebels from the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident groups from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), who are fighting for control of drug-trafficking routes.
At least 80 people were killed and more than 32,000 have been forced from their homes in recent weeks, according to human rights groups. Residents said the armed groups were going door to door and carrying out indiscriminate attacks.
Last week, Petro's government announced that it was suspension of peace talks with the ELN due to the increase in violence in Catatumbo.
The leftist president who took office in 2022had promised to bring “complete peace” to the South American country after decades of conflict between the state, paramilitaries and rebel groups.
Petro is pushing for talks with armed groups and his strategy is reducing violence. But infighting between the rebels and clashes with the Colombian army continue.
The government has deployed thousands of troops to Catatumbo to try to stop the recent violence. On Wednesday, the office of Colombia's Attorney General also reissued arrest warrants for ELN leaders.
A statement said it “revoked the benefits of deferred arrest warrants for 31 representatives of the (ELN) … who were recognized by the national government as spokespeople for the talks.”
The ELN denied attacking civilians and said its offensive was against a faction of former FARC rebels and the demobilized rebels who support them.
The FARC was the largest rebel group in the country, but after a 2016 peace deal. largely broke up the organization, several groups split off. They also participated in recent peace talks with Petro's government.
Human rights groups called on the government to ensure this a civilian in Catatumbo are protected.
“We call on the Colombian authorities to urgently take all necessary measures to protect civilians in the Catatumbo area, including human rights defenders,” said Amnesty International warns of “growing threats of detention, new killings and enforced disappearances”.
UN chief Antonio Guterres also expressed concern this week at the worsening situation.
Guterres called for “an immediate end to acts of violence against the civilian population and for unimpeded humanitarian access,” his spokesman said.
Many residents of Catatumbo have fled to Venezuela or the neighboring Colombian region of Norte de Santander.
Adib Fletcher, senior regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at aid group Project HOPE, said displaced families – including mothers with young children – were arriving in Norte de Santander in droves.
“Families have fled with only one or two bags and are uncertain when they will be able to return to their homes,” Fletcher said in statement on Wednesday.
“As people find shelter in overcrowded areas, we are concerned about disease outbreaks and increased strain on the local health system.”
Zilenia Pana, 48, fled the fighting with her eight- and 13-year-old children to the relative safety of Ocana, a small town in Norte de Santander.
To see “the dead bodies was sad, painful. It breaks your soul, your heart,” Panna told AFP news agency.
She said she was just praying the fighting would stop so she could return home to her children. “That's all we want. That's all we want from these people,” she said.
