The Colombian Army launched a large-scale military operation on Tuesday against the Central General Staff (EMC), a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), in the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca. The offensive was carried out in response to an armed attack on the town of Morales just a day earlier.
During the operation to regain control of Morales, EMC fighters targeted a Bell UH-1H helicopter and the military’s armored vehicles using Barrett .50-caliber sniper rifles, according to the Army.
The latest escalation followed a violent assault by EMC on Monday, when dissidents stormed the town’s police station, killing two officers and wounding six others. They also looted the local branch of the Agricultural Bank of Colombia.
After their incursion into Morales, EMC fighters expanded their offensive, launching attacks on security forces in Suárez and Dagua. Authorities estimate that approximately 1,600 EMC combatants are active across the departments of Cauca, Valle del Cauca, and Nariño.
In response, President Gustavo Petro ordered a full-scale military offensive in Cauca and established a permanent Security Council in the region. He also deployed top officials, including the Vice President, Defense Minister, and Interior Minister, to the city of Popayán to coordinate the government’s response to the escalating crisis.
The ongoing fighting comes amid rising tensions in Cauca, where earlier this month, 29 soldiers and police officers were abducted following clashes.
#Breaking: FARC has brought back terror and horror to Colombia. 29 policemen and one soldier, including a colonel, are held hostage by FARC terrorists in El Plateado. pic.twitter.com/uBts3bp7Qi
— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) March 7, 2025
While the mass abduction has been attributed to the EMC, a statement from self-described “local communities” claimed that residents acted in self-defense after being attacked by armed forces. The hostages, they said, were taken to deter further assaults.
The statement also condemned the government’s ongoing campaign to eradicate 8,000 hectares (approximately 20,000 acres) of coca in the region.
Meanwhile, in another part of the country, the EMC have reportedly launched a counteroffensive against the insurgent group National Liberation Army (ELN) in the Catatumbo region near the Venezuelan border. They are said to have retaken the town of Tibú and are advancing toward El Tarra.
FARC dissidents have reportedly launched a counter offensive against ELN positions in Catatumbo after weeks of fighting, reportedly capturing some areas along the Venezuelan border#Colombia https://t.co/1fPaIpXtcZ
— CNW (@ConflictsW) March 20, 2025
Fighting in Catatumbo has displaced more than 55,000 people and killed at least 76 since January, according to the government.
