Colombia Ombudsman warns of rising violence in Catatumbo and Nariño

The Colombian Ombudsman's Office (Defensoría del Pueblo) has issued urgent warnings regarding escalating violence and humanitarian crises in the Catatumbo and Nariño regions.

In Catatumbo, specifically in El Tarra and San Calixto, recent hostilities involving drone-delivered explosives have caused physical and psychological injuries, including to a teenager. These attacks have triggered mass displacements; in El Tarra, 1,447 people (611 families) have been displaced so far in 2026, while approximately 600 people in San Calixto have also fled due to recurrent drone strikes.

In Nariño, the Ombudsman reported intense clashes between the Estado Mayor Central (EMC) dissidents and the Autodefensas Unidas de Nariño in the municipalities of Linares and Los Andes. The entity emphasized the need for immediate humanitarian assistance, including access to food, water, and healthcare, while calling on authorities to ensure the safety of civilian populations and the unimpeded movement of humanitarian organizations.