Rival Rebel Forces in Colombia Commit Massacre in the Amazon

A shootout in the Amazon between rival rebel forces in Colombia has claimed the lives of three dozen people.

According to the military, the death toll is preliminary, reports Reuters.

Both groups broke away from the once powerful FARC guerrilla army after it signed a peace agreement with the government in 2016, ending decades of fighting.

These groups are now fighting each other in the Amazonian region of Guaviare, trying to establish control over drug trafficking routes, illegal mining, and extortion operations.

Recent fighting has taken place between rebels led by a leader known as Ivan Mordisco — one of Colombia’s most wanted criminals — and a group led by a leader known as Calarca.

The Colombian military said the clashes were primarily caused by a struggle for control of the territory.

Mordisco had been engaged in peace talks with the government of President Gustavo Petro, but withdrew from them in 2024 and has since intensified attacks on security forces.

The forces led by Calarca also periodically participated in peace talks with the government.

Four months before the election, amid accusations from the opposition of excessive leniency, Petro increased pressure on rebel groups.

In November, government troops carried out a large-scale operation that killed 19 of Mordisco’s supporters. Gustavo Petro compared the elusive Mordisco to the late legendary drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Last year, Colombian guerrillas attacked a Navy river patrol boat with a drone. The use of such technology is unusual for illegal armed groups in this region.