The fragile peace in northeastern Colombia crumbled over the weekend, as renewed clashes between armed groups left more than 80 dead and forced thousands to flee their homes. The violence erupted after the government suspended negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN), the country’s last active guerrilla force, following a failure to reach a ceasefire agreement.

According to local officials, the violence was concentrated in the Catatumbo region, a lawless expanse along the Venezuelan border that serves as a battleground for competing armed factions. At least 20 people were injured in the attacks, and community leader Carmelo Guerrero was among the dead. Thousands of residents are now seeking refuge, some finding shelter in makeshift government camps while others hide in the surrounding mountains.

“We had no time to take anything with us,” said Juan Gutiérrez, who fled with his family to a temporary shelter in Tibú. “We left behind everything—our animals, our belongings. All we want is for the government to remember us.”

The Colombian military launched rescue operations, evacuating dozens of people from high-risk zones by helicopter. Defense Minister Iván Velásquez visited the affected area on Sunday, pledging to prioritize civilian safety and deploy additional troops to stabilize the region. Aid shipments, including food and hygiene kits, are being sent to the towns of Tibú and Ocaña to support over 5,000 displaced residents.

The Catatumbo region has long been a hotspot of armed conflict, fueled by its strategic location and coca plantations. Rival groups—the ELN and dissident factions of the disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)—are vying for territorial control.

The ELN issued a statement over the weekend, accusing ex-FARC rebels of targeting civilians and defending their own actions as retaliation. Tensions escalated after the January 15 killing of a couple and their infant, which the ELN attributed to former FARC members.

Local leaders are calling for a return to peace negotiations, despite repeated failures. “We civilians are the ones who suffer,” said José Trinidad, a municipal official in North Santander. “The displacement, the fear, the uncertainty—it’s killing us.”

While the government has demanded an end to all attacks before resuming talks, many fear the violence will only intensify without a clear path forward. For now, the residents of Catatumbo remain caught in the crossfire of a conflict they have no power to end.