Colombia: Increased paramilitary threat in northwest

Event

Security forces are on high alert in the northwest of the country due to fears that the AGC paramilitary group (Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia) could carry out attacks in revenge for the killing of one of the group’s leaders. The “red” alert was issued on July 13 for the Antioquia (capital Medellín), Chocó, and Córdoba departments, where assassination attempts against police and soldiers are possible, notably in rural areas.

Context

Paramilitary crime organizations (BACRIM) - such as the AGC, a.k.a. Los Urabeños - have replaced leftist guerrillas as the most serious armed threat in Colombia. These groups are involved in a variety of illicit activities, including drug-trafficking, smuggling, illegal mining, extortion, and assassinations. BACRIM groups have begun expanding into territories vacated by the demobilized FARC guerilla group, leading to a rise in violence, including assassinations of local landowners and community leaders. The government has pledged to increase the presence of security forces in these areas, but the deployment has been slow. The AGC is believed to have some 8000 members and controls many drug smuggling routes along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of the country.

Advice

Individuals in the above departments are advised to keep abreast of the situation. On a more general note, due to the presence of various armed groups, including narcotrafficking, organized crime, and left-wing guerrilla groups, many Western governments advise against travel to various regions of the country ‒ particularly rural zones ‒ with the notable exceptions of the northern Caribbean regions and central areas (including Bogotá).