Other MoA event in Colombia on Tue 10th March 2026

Intense armed clashes continue to ravage the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia's Magdalena department, as rival criminal groups fight for territorial dominance. In recent days, particularly in rural areas of Aracataca such as Serankua, near La Fuente and Cerro Azul—fierce confrontations have escalated between the Clan del Golfo (also known as AGC or Ejército Gaitanista de Colombia) and the Autodefensas Conquistadores de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN, commonly called "Los Pachencas"). The violence, fueled by disputes over drug trafficking routes and strategic corridors in the northern Sierra Nevada, has resulted in: - Multiple civilian casualties among indigenous communities (primarily Arhuaco), including the confirmed death of at least one indigenous person from a grenade explosion, several wounded (including women and a 6-year-old child), and reports of disappearances. - Forced displacement and confinement of dozens of families, with hundreds affected in veredas like Fuente Alta, Fuente Baja, Cerro Azul, Las Margaritas, and Chimborazo. - Urgent humanitarian alerts from the Defensoría del Pueblo indigenous organizations, and human rights platforms demanding an immediate humanitarian corridor to evacuate the wounded and provide medical care. The Colombian Army has deployed additional troops to the region, with Major General Royer Gómez Herrera (Army Commander) confirming operations to protect civilians and restore order. Footage circulating on social media shows heavy gunfire exchanges, and reports indicate both sides may now be employing drones in the conflict. This latest surge, marking the third major clash in under a month, has trapped indigenous communities in the crossfire, suspended classes, restricted mobility, and heightened fears of a deepening humanitarian crisis in one of Colombia's most biodiverse and culturally significant areas. Authorities and local leaders are calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities amid ongoing peace dialogue efforts with both groups.