In Columbia at least 23 people were killed in clashes between armed groups, the National Liberation Army and the Revolutionary Armed of Columbia.

At least 23 dead in clashes in Arauca, Colombia

Two Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels had been killed and third surrendered in Colombia&#39;s northern Bolivar province for venturing out of their designated zones with weapons, the Colombian army said.&nbsp;

The confrontation has led to the first violation of the bilateral ceasefire between the government and the Marxist insurgent group implemented in August.

According to the army, the rebels were extorting people some 69 kilometres (42 miles) from their appointed zone and were carrying weapons.&nbsp;

Until&nbsp;the rebels are disarmed, they are not allowed to leave their zones without informing the military of their coordinates.&nbsp;

Colombians had rejected the peace deal to end the 52-year-old conflict in September saying it was soft and allowed the rebels to go scot free despite the number of atrocities they had committed.&nbsp;

ELN strikes

At least 17 police officers were wounded when a bomb exploded in the bus they were travelling on Wednesday in Norte de Santander city.

The anti-riot officers from the ESMAD (Mobile Anti-Riot Squad) recieved minor injuries and are recovering in a local hospital.

&quot;An explosive device exploded as a bus carrying the ESMAD troops passed by, who were en-route to a mission to continue fighting against smuggling in that city. When the artefact exploded it affected 17 of our men, fortunately mildly, with slight shrapnel injuries and leaving some in a daze, all are all out of danger,&quot; said defence minister Luis Carlos Villegas.

Officials suspect the &nbsp;National Liberation Army (ELN) was behind the attack. The second largest insurgent group after FARC.&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;re acting in the north of Santander with all force against organised crime and against smuggling carried out by the national liberation army (ELN), so it is quite probable that the perpetration of this act against our police is on behalf of the ELN but we will continue to report in detail,&quot; Villegas added.

If the ELN are responsible for the bombing the peace talks will break down, which are set to take place in Ecuador.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

In another attack, 17 policemen were wounded in a suspected attack by the National Liberation Army (ELN)

Two Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels had been killed and third surrendered in Colombia's northern Bolivar province for venturing out of their designated zones with weapons, the Colombian army said. The confrontation has led to the first violation of the bilateral ceasefire between the government and the Marxist insurgent group implemented in August. According to the army, the rebels were extorting people some 69 kilometres (42 miles) from their appointed zone and were carrying weapons. Until the rebels are disarmed, they are not allowed to leave their zones without informing the military of their coordinates. Colombians had rejected the peace deal to end the 52-year-old conflict in September saying it was soft and allowed the rebels to go scot free despite the number of atrocities they had committed. ELN strikes At least 17 police officers were wounded when a bomb exploded in the bus they were travelling on Wednesday in Norte de Santander city. The anti-riot officers from the ESMAD (Mobile Anti-Riot Squad) recieved minor injuries and are recovering in a local hospital. "An explosive device exploded as a bus carrying the ESMAD troops passed by, who were en-route to a mission to continue fighting against smuggling in that city. When the artefact exploded it affected 17 of our men, fortunately mildly, with slight shrapnel injuries and leaving some in a daze, all are all out of danger," said defence minister Luis Carlos Villegas. Officials suspect the National Liberation Army (ELN) was behind the attack. The second largest insurgent group after FARC. "We're acting in the north of Santander with all force against organised crime and against smuggling carried out by the national liberation army (ELN), so it is quite probable that the perpetration of this act against our police is on behalf of the ELN but we will continue to report in detail," Villegas added. If the ELN are responsible for the bombing the peace talks will break down, which are set to take place in Ecuador. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Colombian Army: Two FARC rebels killed in combat, violate ceasefire

The Colombian army killed one National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel and captured four others just ten days before the government and the insurgent group are scheduled to hold peace talks.&nbsp;

The public order and financial wings of the ELN&nbsp;in the northeastern department of Casanare were targeted, the army said on Monday.&nbsp;

Out of the four captured rebels, three were commanders, one of whom was wounded, AFP reported. &nbsp;

In a separate operation, 24 rebels from the western department of Choco were &quot;demobilised&quot; (taken out of active service), the Colombian defence ministry said in a tweet.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Los 24 desmovilizados del Frente <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ResistenciaCimarron?src=hash">#ResistenciaCimarron</a> del <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eln?src=hash">#Eln</a> en <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pizarro?src=hash">#Pizarro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Choc%C3%B3?src=hash">#Choc&oacute;</a> entregaron su armamento y equipo de intendencia <a href="https://t.co/K0QwDVqIwd">pic.twitter.com/K0QwDVqIwd</a>
&mdash; Mindefensa Colombia (@mindefensa) <a href="https://twitter.com/mindefensa/status/788103598064427008">October 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

(Translation: 24 Front demobilised in Choco and surrendered their weapons and equipment quartermaster.)

The ELN did not comment on the latest attack, but this could roil the peace talks&nbsp;which will take&nbsp;place on October 27&nbsp;in Ecuador&#39;s capital of Quito.&nbsp;

However, Carlos Medina, a&nbsp;political analyst at Colombia&#39;s National University, said the latest attack will not endanger the peace deal but stressed on the need to have a ceasefire in order to reduce tensions between the government and the rebels.&nbsp;

The government has a ceasefire deal with FARC but no such agreement has been signed with the ELN.&nbsp;

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has been trying to end the 52-year old conflict with Colombia&#39;s two largest insurgent groups &mdash;&nbsp;the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and the ELN.&nbsp;

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts&nbsp;but has since struggled to restore peace in the country, especially after Colombian voters said &#39;no&#39; to the peace deal with FARC as they felt the deal allowed rebels to go scot-free for atrocities they caused.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

 
&nbsp;

The latest attack may jeopardise the prospect of a truce deal between the government and the insurgency group

The Colombian army killed one National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel and captured four others just ten days before the government and the insurgent group are scheduled to hold peace talks. The public order and financial wings of the ELN in the northeastern department of Casanare were targeted, the army said on Monday. Out of the four captured rebels, three were commanders, one of whom was wounded, AFP reported. In a separate operation, 24 rebels from the western department of Choco were "demobilised" (taken out of active service), the Colombian defence ministry said in a tweet. Los 24 desmovilizados del Frente #ResistenciaCimarron del #Eln en #Pizarro #Chocó entregaron su armamento y equipo de intendencia pic.twitter.com/K0QwDVqIwd — Mindefensa Colombia (@mindefensa) October 17, 2016 × (Translation: 24 Front demobilised in Choco and surrendered their weapons and equipment quartermaster.) The ELN did not comment on the latest attack, but this could roil the peace talks which will take place on October 27 in Ecuador's capital of Quito. However, Carlos Medina, a political analyst at Colombia's National University, said the latest attack will not endanger the peace deal but stressed on the need to have a ceasefire in order to reduce tensions between the government and the rebels. The government has a ceasefire deal with FARC but no such agreement has been signed with the ELN. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has been trying to end the 52-year old conflict with Colombia's two largest insurgent groups — the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and the ELN. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts but has since struggled to restore peace in the country, especially after Colombian voters said 'no' to the peace deal with FARC as they felt the deal allowed rebels to go scot-free for atrocities they caused. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Colombian army kills ELN rebel ten days before peace talks

FARC rebels in Colombia have clashed with government forces in the centre of the country, defence minister Luis Carlos Villegas said on Sunday, as the two sides push to finalise a historic peace deal. 
 
&quot;This took place 48 hours ago in La Uribe. A FARC patrol unit came upon an army rapid response team patrol and engaged,&quot; Villegas said. 
 
&quot;There was a number of injured,&quot; Villegas said without further details about the injuries. The rebels were offered medical assistance, he said. 
 
And no troops or civilians were injured, an army statement added.&nbsp;The injured rebels were members of a delegation that was due to travel to the ongoing peace talks being held in Havana.&nbsp;The violence comes as a discouraging sign while the government and rebels are thought to be close to ending five decades of civil war. 
 
Carlos Lozada, who serves as a FARC negotiator in the peace process, charged on Twitter that &quot;what happened there was not a clash by patrols bumping into one another&quot;. 
 
&quot;This was an attack on FARC delegates who were on their way to Havana,&quot; Lozada said, insisting that the army refused to evacuate by air the rebels who were injured, undermining trust at the negotiating table. 
 
The FARC currently has about 7,000 members.&nbsp;It signed a ceasefire and disarmament arrangement with the government last month at peace talks in Cuba.&nbsp;The government said it hoped to move on to a full peace deal within weeks. 
 
The Colombian conflict started in the 1960s as a rural uprising for land rights that spawned the communist FARC.&nbsp;It has left 260,000 people dead, 45,000 missing and nearly seven million displaced, according to official figures. 
 
The rebels signed a unilateral ceasefire in 2015; the government responded by de-escalating the conflict. A bilateral ceasefire only takes effect after the peace deal is signed. 
 
(AFP)

The violence comes as a discouraging sign while the government and rebels are thought to be close to ending five decades of civil war

FARC rebels in Colombia have clashed with government forces in the centre of the country, defence minister Luis Carlos Villegas said on Sunday, as the two sides push to finalise a historic peace deal. "This took place 48 hours ago in La Uribe. A FARC patrol unit came upon an army rapid response team patrol and engaged," Villegas said. "There was a number of injured," Villegas said without further details about the injuries. The rebels were offered medical assistance, he said. And no troops or civilians were injured, an army statement added. The injured rebels were members of a delegation that was due to travel to the ongoing peace talks being held in Havana. The violence comes as a discouraging sign while the government and rebels are thought to be close to ending five decades of civil war. Carlos Lozada, who serves as a FARC negotiator in the peace process, charged on Twitter that "what happened there was not a clash by patrols bumping into one another". "This was an attack on FARC delegates who were on their way to Havana," Lozada said, insisting that the army refused to evacuate by air the rebels who were injured, undermining trust at the negotiating table. The FARC currently has about 7,000 members. It signed a ceasefire and disarmament arrangement with the government last month at peace talks in Cuba. The government said it hoped to move on to a full peace deal within weeks. The Colombian conflict started in the 1960s as a rural uprising for land rights that spawned the communist FARC. It has left 260,000 people dead, 45,000 missing and nearly seven million displaced, according to official figures. The rebels signed a unilateral ceasefire in 2015; the government responded by de-escalating the conflict. A bilateral ceasefire only takes effect after the peace deal is signed. (AFP)

FARC rebels injured in 'combat' with Colombian army

colombian-army

Colombian Army, News on Colombian Army, stories on Colombian Army, articles on Colombian Army, Colombian Army stories at Wion, Colombian Army news, Colombian Army latest news

colombian army

At least 23 dead in clashes in Arauca, Colombia

Colombian Army: Two FARC rebels killed in combat, violate ceasefire

Colombian army kills ELN rebel ten days before peace talks

FARC rebels injured in 'combat' with Colombian army