Soldiers in La Paz (Image: National Army)
A major battle between two rival guerrilla organizations in southern Colombia left 26 suspected fighters dead, according to the regional army commander said Monday.
Authorities were able to recover the bodies of the suspected guerrillas around La Paz, a township on the border of the Amazon jungle in the Guaviare province.
Local organizations and regional authorities reported over the weekend that approximately 30 bodies were left alongside roads around La Paz after fighting broke out between units of guerrilla organizations EMC and its main dissident faction, the EMBF.
The initial reports claimed that the fighting broke out on Friday.
General Ricardo Roque, the commander of the National Army’s 4th Division, confirmed on Monday that civilian authorities were able to collect the fallen guerrillas after his forces secured the area.
Among those allegedly killed in combat are 21 men and five women, according to Roque, who referred to the Medical Examiner’s Office for information regarding the specific identities of the victims.
The victims appear to9 be members of the EMC, a FARC dissident group founded by former mid-level FARC commander : Ivan Mordisco” in 2016.
The latest clashes occurred less than two years after EMBF founder “Calarca” split from the EMC to pursue a peace deal with the government of President Gustavo Petro.
The split caused major tensions in Guaviare, where both factions lay claims over territories that used to fall under EMC control.
While negotiating peace with the government, the EMBF also came under attack from guerrilla group ELN in Catatumbo, a region in the northeast of the country.
The fighting between the guerrilla groups has complicated the EMBF’s participation in the government’s “Total Peace” plan, which seeks a negotiated end to armed conflict with a range of illegal armed groups and mafia organizations.
While negotiating peace, the EMBF has grown its organization and has more than 2,800 fighters, according to military intelligence.
