The hardest blow in the last eight years against the ELN: Abelardo De La Espriella announces military operation in Cauca

President Abelardo De la Espriella announced that ten members of the National Liberation Army were killed during a military operation in the rural area of El Tambo, Cauca. The government identified the strike, named Operation Onyx, as its most significant offensive against the guerrilla group in eight years. Among the confirmed fatalities are two senior commanders. The president stated via social media that the operation targeted a key part of the ELN’s regional leadership structure. The official death toll stands at ten individuals. De la Espriella specifically named alias Marcos Pacifico, who served as the chief of the Jose Maria Becerra front within the ELN’s southwestern war front. He was a member of the organization for more than 24 years. Authorities attributed over 62 homicides to him, along with the recruitment of hundreds of minors and the forced displacement of more than 500 people. Also killed was alias Ochenta, known alternatively as Murillo, described as another crucial figure in that specific organizational structure. Military forces and the National Police executed the raid. During the intervention, security personnel seized seven rifles, one pistol, and two grenades. They located a campsite capable of housing approximately 25 armed group members. The president characterized the action as a weakening of structures seeking to maintain control over territories and strategic corridors leading to the Colombian Pacific coast. He emphasized that his administration will continue applying pressure on criminal leaders and illegal armed groups. This incident marks the fifth airstrike conducted by the government against the ELN in the Cauca department. It follows a recent blow to the organization’s financial capabilities. On September 21, authorities confirmed the death of Ricardo Trigos Penaranda, alias Resorte. He was designated as the financial head of the Reynaldo Ardila Gomez National Urban War Front. His death occurred during combat in the Palo Colorado hamlet in Chnacota, Norte de Santander. Troops from the Second Army Division, Brigade 30, and the Military Gaula participated in that engagement, coordinating with the Gaula unit of the Cucuta police. De la Espriella expressed his support for the law enforcement officers involved in Operation Onyx. He declared that the defense of Colombia would not retreat even one centimeter. The president highlighted the role of the armed forces in recovering control of areas affected by the presence of armed groups. The government presented the results of the intervention as evidence of their commitment to dismantling the infrastructure of illegal armed organizations. The operation underscores the ongoing conflict dynamics in the region. While the sources focus on the immediate tactical success and the elimination of high-ranking targets, the broader context involves sustained military activity in the Cauca department. The seizure of weapons and the destruction of the camp represent tangible gains in the campaign against the ELN. The government continues to assert that these actions are necessary to restore stability and secure strategic routes. No further details regarding the specific timing of the initial contact or the exact coordinates of the camp were provided in the available reports. The focus remained on the identities of the deceased and the scale of the operation relative to previous engagements. The administration reiterated its stance that operations against illegal armed groups will persist until the threat is neutralized. The release of this information serves to inform the public of the current status of the counterinsurgency efforts in the southwest of the country.