The Colombia Conflict
A neutral, source-attributed briefing on Colombia's residual armed conflict — FARC dissidents, the ELN, and armed criminal groups.
Open the live conflict map → Common questionsLast updated: 2026-08-06 · Evergreen briefing — the live map and the headlines below carry the latest developments.
Key locations: Colombia Conflict
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Bogotacity4.7110, -74.0721
Capital of Colombia and seat of its government.
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Tibucity8.6389, -72.7333
Municipality in the Catatumbo region of Norte de Santander, near the Venezuelan border, at the center of an armed-group offensive that displaced a large number of civilians beginning in January 2025.
Control: National Liberation Army (ELN), fighting to displace FARC dissident factions descended from the demobilized 33rd Front — Human Rights Watch, as of 2025-03-26Stale
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Cucutaborder7.8891, -72.5079
Capital of Norte de Santander and a major crossing point on the Colombia-Venezuela border, a gateway to the conflict-affected Catatumbo region.
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Tumacoport1.7986, -78.7811
Pacific port in Nariño department near the Ecuadorian border, a longstanding hub for cocaine trafficking and a zone of competition among armed groups.
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Buenaventuraport3.8801, -76.9930
Colombia's principal Pacific port, handling the bulk of the country's maritime trade and a recurring site of armed-group extortion and turf disputes.
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Quibdocity5.6947, -76.6583
Capital of Choco department, a Pacific lowland region with a strong presence of multiple armed and criminal groups competing over river and coastal trafficking routes.
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Araucaborder7.0847, -70.7590
Capital of Arauca department on the Venezuelan border, a region with a long-established ELN presence.
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Puerto Asisborder0.5069, -76.4972
Municipality in Putumayo department near the Ecuadorian border, in a coca-growing region with a history of competition among armed groups.
Key facts
- The Colombia Conflict is an insurgency / criminal violence in South America, currently Active (Medium intensity).
- Despite the 2016 peace deal with the FARC, Colombia faces continued violence from FARC dissident factions, the ELN guerrilla group, and criminal organizations contesting rural territory and trafficking routes.
- Key actors: Colombian state forces, ELN, FARC dissidents.
- What's at stake: Peace process, Rural security, Drug economy.
Latest developments
The headlines below are pulled automatically from Google News (the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and link to primary reporting. They are updated periodically; last refreshed 2026-08-06.
- National Liberation Army (ELN)2026-07-21 — InSight Crime
- Truck explodes outside Colombia police base, injuring 11 officers and killing a dog2026-08-01 — AP News
- At least 11 wounded by Colombia car bomb days before presidential election2026-08-01 — Al Jazeera
- Colombia truck bomb wounds 14 ahead of presidential inauguration2026-08-01 — RFI
- Colombia terrorist attack injures 11, kills police dog2026-08-01 — upi.com
- Colombian truck bomb wounds 14 near police station2026-08-02 — Taipei Times
- EXCLUSIVE: Colombia's ELN open to talks with new president, but says it can survive military offensive2026-06-18 — Reuters
- Colombia truck bomb wounds 14 people2026-08-02 — Khmer Times
Overview
Despite the 2016 peace deal with the FARC, Colombia faces continued violence from FARC dissident factions, the ELN guerrilla group, and criminal organizations contesting rural territory and trafficking routes.
This page is an evergreen orientation. Figures and control change continually — confirm the latest with the primary sources listed below.
Key actors
- Colombian state forces — the military and police.
- ELN — the National Liberation Army guerrilla group.
- FARC dissidents — factions that rejected the peace deal.
- Criminal groups — controlling drug-trafficking economies.
What's at stake
- Peace process: consolidating the FARC agreement and new talks.
- Rural security: violence against communities and activists.
- Drug economy: coca cultivation and trafficking.
- Regional spillover: tensions along the Venezuela border.
Colombia Conflict explained: the key dynamics
After the FARC peace deal
A landmark 2016 agreement demobilized the FARC, Colombia's largest guerrilla group, but dissident factions that rejected the deal continue armed activity in rural areas.
The ELN and criminal groups
The ELN guerrilla group and a range of criminal organizations contest territory, trafficking routes, and illegal economies, particularly in border and coca-growing regions.
Violence against communities
Rural communities, social leaders, and former combatants face targeted violence, a persistent challenge to consolidating the peace process.
Timeline: how the colombia conflict unfolded
- 1964 — The FARC and other guerrilla groups emerge, beginning decades of armed conflict.
- 2016 — A peace agreement demobilizes the FARC.
- 2017–22 — FARC dissidents and the ELN expand in areas the FARC vacated.
- 2023–26 — Government peace efforts continue amid persistent rural violence.
How this conflict is mapped and tracked
Colombia's conflict is now fragmented among dissidents, the ELN, and criminal groups, which ACLED tracks as distinct armed actors. UCDP records the relevant dyads. Because much violence targets individuals and communities, homicide and displacement data complement conflict-event data.
For how these datasets differ, see ACLED vs UCDP vs CFR and our guide to conflict-tracking tools.
Armed Conflict in Colombia
The 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC disarmed the core FARC movement but produced significant dissident factions — principally the Estado Mayor Central (EMC) — that rejected demobilization and continue operating. The National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia's second major guerrilla organization, reached a ceasefire with the Petro government in 2023 but negotiations have stalled over disarmament timelines.
Violence is concentrated in areas of high coca cultivation, particularly Catatumbo (Norte de Santander), the Pacific coast, and border regions with Venezuela and Ecuador. Criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo (formerly Los Urabeños) compete with FARC dissidents for territorial and trafficking influence.
President Gustavo Petro's 'Total Peace' policy has produced multiple negotiation tracks but limited operational results. An estimated 2,700 conflict-related deaths occurred in 2025. Spillover violence into Ecuador, and the role of Colombian-linked organizations in Ecuador's escalating drug war, add regional complexity.
How it fits the global picture
This is one of 29 active armed conflict theaters tracked on the Global Armed Conflicts Map. Explore related and concurrent conflicts:
Frequently asked questions
Is Colombia still in conflict in 2026?
Colombia faces residual armed conflict from the ELN, FARC dissidents, and criminal groups despite the 2016 peace deal. Confirm the current status with primary sources such as ACLED, UCDP, and the CFR Global Conflict Tracker.
Who are the FARC dissidents?
They are factions that rejected or abandoned the 2016 peace agreement and continue armed activity.
How can I follow it live?
Use the interactive conflict map to see this theater alongside 28 other active conflicts, filter by intensity and region, and open intelligence briefings for each.
Did the 2016 peace deal end Colombia's conflict?
It ended the FARC's insurgency but not armed conflict overall; dissident factions, the ELN, and criminal groups continue to operate, so violence persists in parts of the country.
Who are the FARC dissidents?
They are former FARC members and new recruits who rejected or abandoned the 2016 peace agreement and returned to armed activity, often tied to drug-trafficking economies.
Source provenance
- Human Rights Watch 498 days · as of 2025-03-26
- News feed 0 days · as of 2026-08-06
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-06 | Headlines refreshed | News feed |
| 2025-03-26 | Tibu control updated | Human Rights Watch |