In brief
In the northeastern Catatumbo region, President Abelardo de la Espriella announced a successful airstrike that killed four dissident FARC militants and seized six others, among them the notable leader "Barba Chivo". The operation, code‑named "Noah", also resulted in the capture of weapons and a clear statement that the campaign will continue until top leaders are brought to justice.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on Monday that an airstrike against dissident factions of the disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the Catatumbo region left four militants dead and six captured.
He said the operation, code‑named Noah, took place in a rural area of Tibu, Norte de Santander, near the Venezuelan border.
President Abelardo de la Espriella posted on the X social‑media platform:
"In a decisive military operation that I authorized in a rural area of Tibu, Norte de Santander (department), our National Army and Colombian Air Force struck this criminal organization, which seeks to sow terror and exert control over Catatumbo through fire and bloodshed,"
He added that the strike also captured a rebel leader known by the alias Barba Chivo, a close associate of Andrey Avendano, the top commander of "Structure 33," a FARC dissident group in Tibu.
The president noted that the operation seized seven rifles and 15 drone‑dropped grenades, and neutralized three encampments that could accommodate approximately 35 members of the organization.
De la Espriella said the offensive against FARC dissidents would continue until all top leaders are captured and brought to justice for their attacks, and that the president has ordered seven bombing raids against various armed criminal and rebel groups in Catatumbo and other regions, including Guaviare and Chocó.
Targets of the raids have included the two main FARC dissident factions, the National Liberation Army, and the gang known as the Clan del Golfo.
