Buena Vista del Meta:Caracas At least 19 people have been killed in what is alleged to be a Venezuelan military bombing of a camp belonging to the National Liberation Army (ELN) near the Colombian border. This incident was reported by the Colombian radio station Blu Radio on Saturday.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, the alleged attack occurred on Friday in Buena Vista del Meta, Apure state, near the border, as detailed by former Venezuelan lawmaker Juan Francisco Garcia Escalona. Garcia Escalona, who coordinates the Fundaredes human rights organization in Apure, mentioned receiving testimonies about a military operation in the area.
Preliminary accounts suggest that nine bodies were transferred to San Fernando de Apure, the state capital, for forensic examinations. Meanwhile, another ten bodies reportedly remained at the site, with an undetermined number of injured individuals said to have crossed into Colombian territory.
Residents of Puerto Paez provided names and identification details reportedly found at the site, although the identities of the victims have not been officially confirmed. Venezuelan human rights activist and military affairs expert Rocio San Miguel also referenced reports of an alleged bombing of an ELN camp in Buena Vista del Meta on the US social media platform X.
The reported operation is set against a backdrop of armed clashes in parts of Venezuela's border region in recent weeks. Garcia Escalona noted reports from residents and Indigenous communities about fighting in Los Pijiguaos in western Bolivar state and near Paso del Burro, along the Meta-Orinoco river border area. He linked these reported clashes to disputes over control of areas used for mineral extraction, including bauxite and coltan.
As of the report, Venezuela's interim government, led by Delcy Rodriguez, had not issued a statement on the alleged bombing, according to Blu Radio.