# Colombia armed conflict civilian abuses

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/colombia-armed-conflict-civilian-abuses
> Updated: 2026-07-29T16:33:45.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

In late July 2026, Colombian authorities reported a sharp increase in killings labelled “exterminio social” in the Nariño department. The murders, targeting homeless people, drug users, petty thieves, LGBTI individuals and other marginalized groups, were carried out individually and were noted for a pattern of impunity, with critics alleging silent complicity by some state actors.

A week later, humanitarian monitors highlighted a separate but related wave of violence: illegal armed groups were imposing confinement and mobility restrictions across multiple departments, including Chocó, Cauca, Putumayo and others. The restrictions blocked farming, fishing, transport, and access to health, education and other services, creating a humanitarian emergency especially for Indigenous and Afro‑Colombian communities. Together, the snapshots illustrate an expanding spectrum of civilian abuses—from targeted urban murders to widespread rural confinement—underpinning a deepening humanitarian and security crisis within Colombia’s internal armed conflict.

## Timeline

### 2026-07-29: Colombia Rural Communities Face Humanitarian Crisis Amid Armed-Group Confinement

Humanitarian groups say armed‑group confinement in rural Colombia—especially in Chocó, Cauca, Putumayo and other departments—has trapped thousands, cutting off food, health and education, with Indigenous and Af

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombia-rural-communities-face-humanitarian-crisis-amid-armed-group-confinement

### 2026-07-23: Colombia's Nariño Department Grapples with Rise in ‘Social Extermination’ Murders

Nariño, Colombia sees a rise in individual killings labeled “exterminio social,” targeting marginalized people; bodies found in Pasto, Ipiales and Tumaco, prompting calls for state action amid allegations ofimp

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colombias-nario-department-grapples-with-rise-in-social-extermination-murders

---
Cite as: Colombia armed conflict civilian abuses. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/colombia-armed-conflict-civilian-abuses