Rebels burned three oil tankers and battled with Colombian armed forces in the western Choco department on Tuesday.
Three tankers were attacked on the road by presumed guerrillas near the town of de Tado in the western Colombian department which is a hotbed of guerrilla activity.
The drivers and assistants were forced out of the vehicles by the armed gang who then set the tankers alight.
Media reported conflicted over the alleged perpetrators of the attack. According to newspaper El Tiempo, members of the ELN‘s Cimarron Front were responsible for the attacks, while the mayor of Tado told radio station Caracol that the FARC was behind the offensive.
Heavy fighting followed between the gang and the armed forces as the suspected guerrillas attempted to escape into the hills. No casualties were reported, however military operations continue in the area.
The road will remain closed until the area has been secured by the armed forces. This is not the first time transport in Choco has been affected by the armed conflict, in March the 57th Front of the FARC closed the roads for nearly a week when they declared an “armed strike.”
Notable for its large Afro-Colombian population, Choco is the poorest department in the country despite its wealth of natural resources.