Two policeman have been killed in Colombia’s north eastern department of Arauca, in a suspected guerrilla attack reported local media on Thursday.The two policeman were ambushed by unknown assailants while at a road checkpoint in the municipality of Tame, in the north-eastern state of Arauca reported W Radio.
Niether the FARC or ELN, who are both active in the region, have yet to claim responsibility. Colombia’s RCN Radio has attributed the attack to the ELN, the country’s second largest rebel group.
The chief of police in Arauca, Colonel Juan David Alvarez, said the ELN operated in the area and cited their attacks on the local infrastructure, including oil and hydroelectric projects.
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One of the dead soldiers, Andres Felipe Cruz Cruz, was taken to San Antonio Hospital in Tame, although died from the gunshots he sustained. The other deceased policeman was named by authorities as Juan David Peñalosa.
Arauca state remains a hotbed of guerrilla activity on the Venezuelan border and the ELN is allegedly involved in ongoing attacks on the oil and mining industry in the area.
The Government has been engaged in peace talks with the FARC, the country’s largest guerrilla army, since November 2012 although no similar peace talks are ongoing between occurred between the state and the ELN.
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