Colombia's armed forces carried out a bombing on Thursday against positions of the National Liberation Army (ELN) in a border area between the departments of Cauca and Nariño, in the country's southwest. President Abelardo de la Espriella confirmed on social media the death of "nine members" of the group, including Neftalí Riascos Alegría, alias 'Marcos Pacífico'.

Source: Demócrata

Colombian broadcaster Blu Radio reported that the president gave the order for the operation by radio from the Casa de Nariño presidential palace at about 1 a.m., authorising the strike in the municipality of El Tambo, Cauca, and that the operation killed nine ELN members, including 'Marcos Pacífico', described as the second-in-command in southwestern Colombia.

Source: Blu Radio

De la Espriella said 'Marcos Pacífico' was the military head of the ELN's Southwestern War Front and the top chief of its José María Becerra front, and accused him of directing kidnappings, attacks and assaults against security forces in Cali and Buenaventura. Those are the president's allegations about the commander, set out in his own announcement; they have not been tested in a court in the reporting so far.

What the president said — and its limits

Nine ELN members killed, including alias 'Marcos Pacífico', in a bombing on the Cauca–Nariño border, as part of the air offensive ordered since De la Espriella took power. The president himself said the data released is preliminary and pending fingerprint verification. No ELN statement had been reported at the time of writing.

According to Colombian authorities, the Southwestern War Front has about 470 armed combatants divided into two companies and three fronts, one of them the José María Becerra front with about 230 members — the largest in that structure, Demócrata reported.

9ELN members reported killed — preliminary, the president said
470armed combatants in the Southwestern War Front, Colombian authorities said
230members in the José María Becerra front, authorities said

Hours before the attack, the president shared a video in which he staged the order given to the defence minister to activate the new military operation, insisting: "In my government, there is no truce against terrorism!" The bombing is the latest in a series of air operations against armed groups since De la Espriella arrived in power in August, Demócrata reported.

What is solid

  • Colombian armed forces bombed ELN positions on the Cauca–Nariño border on Thursday, authorities said
  • President De la Espriella announced nine ELN members killed, including alias 'Marcos Pacífico'
  • The president said the released figures were preliminary and pending fingerprint verification

What is only claimed

  • The exact identities of all nine killed — officially preliminary pending fingerprint checks
  • The president's allegations about 'Marcos Pacífico's' role in kidnappings and attacks — stated by the president in his announcement, not independently verified in the reporting, and with no ELN comment reported