By Mardiyyah Abubakar
At least 19 people have been killed after Venezuelan troops attacked a camp belonging to the Colombian guerrilla group, National Liberation Army (ELN), in western Venezuela.
The attack took place early Friday in a remote, forested area of Apure State, according to a human rights organisation and a military source familiar with the operation.
FundaRedes, which monitors human rights violations in Venezuela’s border regions, confirmed the death toll on Sunday.
The organisation initially reported nine deaths. However, its coordinator, Juan Francisco Garcia, told AFP that another 10 bodies were transported to the state capital, San Fernando, the following day.
US intelligence agencies allegedly supported operation
The attack reportedly involved drones and military helicopters targeting the rebel camp.
A Venezuelan military source, speaking anonymously, claimed the operation received intelligence support from the United States Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The source said the guerrillas were caught by surprise and had little time to respond. Most of those killed were reportedly Venezuelan nationals.
Residents of Puerto Paez, where some of the bodies were initially taken, described the aftermath as horrific.
A human rights advocate and military affairs expert, Rocio San Miguel, described the attack as a change in the Venezuelan military’s operational approach.
Venezuela steps up border operations
The attack could signal a shift in Venezuela’s military approach towards armed groups operating along its border with Colombia.
The two countries share a 2,200-kilometre border where ELN fighters and former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia operate.
The groups have been linked to drug trafficking, illegal mining and smuggling.
The operation comes amid changes in Venezuela’s political and security landscape following the removal of former President Nicolas Maduro in January. His former deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, has since led the government.
The military source said Venezuelan forces would continue searching the area, adding that they believed more rebel camps were located there.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s newly elected President, Abelardo de la Espriella, has intensified efforts to tackle the ELN and drug trafficking groups.
Colombia has also joined more than a dozen Latin American and Caribbean countries in a United States-led regional initiative to combat drug trafficking and organised crime.
