The ELN, Colombia’s second largest rebel group has influence in only small, mostly rural parts of the country and in public universities in large cities. The group’s primary stronghold is in the northeast of the country.
Before a military offensive in the first decade of this century, the area under control of the guerrilla group was significantly larger.
Following that US-back offensive, the ELN was forced to retreat to its stomping grounds in the northeastern Norte de Santander and Arauca states, and Choco in the west.
The map below shows the municipalities with reported ELN activity in 2012.
