Rebel conflicts have raised concerns in Colombia. According to multiple sources including the British Broadcasting Corporation and Cable News Netwerk, conflicts between the two rebel groups such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) Frente 33 have been going on in the northern Colombian region of Catatumbo — a key cocaine production hub and criminal hotspot along the Venezuelan border —for several days. The conflicts have in the meantime led to more than 80 deaths and the displacement of more than 32000 people. But it remains unclear whether the rebel conflict will end and whether there will be peace in the region soon.
Conflicts between the rebel groups are not new in Colombia. Various rebel groups clashed many times for territorial and other reasons. Their conflicts mainly stem from competition over territory, drug trafficking routes, local power, ideological differences and inadequate peace steps. Notably, rebel groups have been vying for control of the lucrative illegal markets while also navigating the complexities of a peace process, which are not embraced by all factions for years. While the surge in violence between the ELN and Frente 33 had been triggered by the loss of a multi-million-dollar cocaine shipment in November 2024, the competition over the control of the cocaine trade in the Catatumbo region, where there are several armed groups, is directly related to the latest conflict.

Photo credit: https://edition.cnn.com/.
Hopefully saying, the government of Colombia has taken several steps. The declaration of a state of emergency by the president and the deployment of 5,000 soldiers in the area and the reactivation of arrest warrants for 31 top commanders of the ELN, which had been suspended while the rebel group held peace talks with the government, that may be helpful in mitigating conflicts. But these are not enough to end conflicts between rival groups and bring peace in the region due to the complexity of the nature of rebel conflicts in Colombia, which had previously suffered immensely from armed conflicts and where conflicts have largely reduced recently because of peace initiatives with several armed groups including the FARC.
But it is vital to end the ongoing conflicts in Catatumbo, a strategic area for the rebel groups, between the parties. The deployment of the soldiers in the area needs to be maintained unless the ongoing conflict ends, along with providing the needed support to civilians. Steps are needed to bring the conflicting parties to the discussion tables and find peace, along with addressing grievances. Reaching lasting peace is also vital. Pertinently saying, the ”total peace” of the Petro government has brought several outcomes including multiple ceasefire deals and a notable reduction of conflicts in Colombia. But the government has also failed to achieve it so far.
For lasting peace, it is vital to continue peace talks with rebel groups including the ELN, with which talks have been in serious doubt after the ELN attacked a military base in Arauca in August 2024 and President Petro suspended talks last week because of the violence in Catatumbo, and Frente 33 — both of which enjoyed a respite from military operations during most of 2024 mainly because of ceasefires negotiated with the government. International cooperation especially from Venezuela is also vital to address conflicts and bring lasting peace through reaching a peace deal with ELN, which has good relations with the former.
But along with addressing the challenges including the lack of trust among the parties, the civilian concerns involved with the rebel groups including the ELN, which has been strengthening efforts to increase its power in the Catatumbo region steadily since the demobilization of the FARC rebel group in 2016 with the 2016 Peace Accord between the government and the rebel group, including its restricting humanitarian aid, selective homicides and child recruitment needs to be addressed for reaching a lasting peace in the region needed for lasting peace in Colombia.