Three civilians wounded in bombing targeting ELN in Colombia's Catatumbo region

At least three civilians, including a 44-year-old woman, were wounded in a bombing raid targeting the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group in Colombia's Catatumbo region. The attack occurred early Tuesday morning in the rural village of El Sinaí, within the San Calixto municipality in the Norte de Santander department.

The Ombudsman's Office confirmed the injuries, stating that its teams are assisting the affected civilians. The bombing also reportedly caused forced displacement, with residents fleeing to the nearby municipality of El Tarra. Authorities are currently verifying the situation in El Tarra.

This incident marks the first bombing operation conducted under the administration of President Abelardo de la Espriella. He recently declared that dialogue with armed groups was "completely exhausted" and has vowed to take a hardline approach against criminal organizations. De la Espriella had previously announced plans for operations that would bring "very good news for the country."

The Catatumbo region is one of the areas most severely impacted by Colombia's long-standing armed conflict. During the previous administration of President Gustavo Petro, the military carried out 25 bombing operations. President De la Espriella has set a goal to capture ten criminal group leaders within his first 90 days in office.