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Venezuelan army attack on ELN camp kills at least 19

Published

The Venezuelan army hit a Colombian ELN guerrilla camp in Apure state with drones and attack helicopters in an early Friday operation. A rights group and a source close to the operation gave the toll.

The rights group FundaRedes first reported nine deaths. Its coordinator, Juan Francisco Garcia, later said another 10 bodies had been taken to San Fernando. FundaRedes monitors rights violations in Venezuela's border states.

A Venezuelan military source spoke on condition of anonymity. The source said US intelligence supported the attack and that most of those killed were Venezuelan nationals. The source also said the guerrillas had no time to react and that forces would keep combing the area because there are more camps.

Rocio San Miguel, a human rights advocate and military affairs expert, said the attack reflects a change in doctrine within the Venezuelan military. Colombia has accused Venezuela's leftist government of ignoring Colombian rebel groups in border areas for years.

Key facts

Who
Juan Francisco Garcia (coordinator with FundaRedes); Rocio San Miguel (human rights advocate and military affairs expert); Delcy Rodriguez (leader of Venezuela's government since Maduro's ouster); Abelardo de la Espriella (Colombia's newly elected hard-right president)
What
The Venezuelan army attacked a camp of the Colombian guerrilla group ELN in the western state of Apure in an early Friday morning operation, using drones and attack helicopters. FundaRedes initially reported nine deaths, and a coordinator later said another 10 bodies had been transported to San Fernando; a military source said the attack was supported by US intelligence.
When
30 October 2026
Where
Venezuela, Apure, Puerto Paez
Status
Reported

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