ELN guerrillas carried out an attack near the Venezuelan border leaving two wounded, according to a report by Colombia’s military.
According to a press release from the Eighth Division of the army, a group of people were attacked “indiscriminately” when an explosive device was launched by the Domingo Lain Saenz Front of Colombia’s second largest guerrilla group, the ELN. A five-year-old child and a 56-year-old adult were injured in the attack on Sunday evening.
The same front was also reported to have attempted a similar attack in the municipality of Tame, sending three explosive devices at military forces, but there were no injuries or damages reported.
The Domingo Lain Saenz is one of the ELN units active in state of Arauca, a hot spot for guerrilla activity near the Venezuelan border.
In the same report, the Eighth Division reported that in 2015, they have disabled 201 terrorist attacks in Arauca, 126 of which were against the civil population, 50 against oil infrastructure, 24 attacks on roads and one against the energy sector.
These infringements on human rights have occurred at the same time in which the guerrilla group has been attempting to formalize peace talks with the Colombian government.
On Wednesday, just four days before the attack, ELN chief Nicolas “Gabino” Rodriguez announced confidence that exploratory peace talks with the government are days from being formalized.
ELN guerrilla leader predicts ‘good news’ on peace talks ‘in coming days’
The ELN has been at war with the Colombian state since its formation and the beginning of the civil conflict in 1964.