For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
Proverbs 1:16
"Fear reigns in northeastern Colombia on the border with Venezuela where
the local population has been caught in the crossfire of rival warring
groups of left-wing guerrillas. 
Since the start of the year, the National Liberation Army (EL),
Colombia's last recognized guerrilla group, and dissidents of the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels that laid down arms
and signed a 2016 peace deal with the government, have waged a
merciless battle in Arauca.
"What is in play is territorial
control of the department and multiple trafficking with neighboring
Venezuela," on the other side of the Arauca river, a political scientist
based in the region who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
Almost 50 people have been killed in the violence in less than four weeks.
Murders, kidnappings and threats have become a daily occurrence.
The conflict revolves around a "triangle of death" area alongside the Arauca river.
The
Arauca region is as large as Belgium but sparsely populated. Its
economy is driven by the Cano Limon oil field that is heavily guarded by
soldiers, as well as agriculture and contraband.
Arauca is a traditional ELN fiefdom where the rebels impose their rules and "revolutionary" tax.
"Nothing
happens without the consent of the ELN, which benefits from
considerable income from organized extorsion and the oil wells," said
the political scientist.
"FARC dissidents have been very active in recent months trying to take
control of the drug trafficking routes to Venezuela and Brazil," said a
security expert in Bogota.
"There were a lot of murders in 2021," said one religious leader. "But
the dynamic has suddenly accelerated. This is just the beginning."
France24
