Five semi-trucks carrying oil were set alight in northern Colombia’s Norte de Santander state Wednesday morning, blocking access between the state’s two main cities, according to Colombia’s Blu Radio.
Norte de Santander |
The main highway between the smaller Ocaña city and Cucuta, the state’s capital, remains blocked due to debris strewn across the road. Colombia’s Army claims the country’s second-largest rebel group, the ELN, is responsible for the attack, reported Blu Radio.
There were no reported injuries as the truck drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles before an armed group set the the trucks ablaze.
The ELN was recently implicated in an attack on an oil pipeline in eastern Colombia on Tuesday.
The attack on the Bicentenario oil line caused a rupture in the eastern state of Arauca, which sparked a fire whose plumes could be seen almost 70 miles away.
MORE: Fires erupt after suspected guerrilla attack on pipeline in eastern Colombia
The National Liberation Army (ELN) has allegedly been attacking energy infrastructure to gain leverage on the side of the rebels to pressure the Colombian government to begin peace talks, according to a report released by Maplecroft Terrorism and Security Dashboard (MTSD), a global analytics company.
MORE: ‘ELN attacking energy infrastructures to pressure Colombia govt into peace talks’: report
Both the ELN and Colombia’s largest guerrilla group, the FARC, have been accused of recent attacks against oil trucks.
Last week, another five oil trucks were set on fire at a roadblock in Colombia’s southwestern state of Putumayo, which was believed to have been conducted by the FARC.
MORE: ‘FARC’ set fire to 5 oil trucks at roadblock in southwest Colombia