Armed clashes between the Clan del Golfo and FARC-EP dissidents forced dozens of families to flee their homes in Briceño, Antioquia, this week [1].
The violence highlights the precarious security situation in rural Colombia, where territorial disputes between illegal armed groups frequently result in the mass displacement of campesinos.
Fighting broke out in the Corregimiento de Travesías, specifically affecting the rural veredas of El Roblal and Travesías [1, 3]. The conflict involved the Clan del Golfo and the disidencias of the fifth and 36th fronts of the FARC-EP, also known as the disidencias de Calarcá [1, 2].
Reports on the scale of the displacement vary across sources. Some records indicate at least 60 families abandoned their homes [2], while other reports cite 34 families [5]. The number of displaced individuals is similarly contested, with figures ranging from 78 persons [5] to as many as 177 people who sought refuge in urban areas [1]. Other accounts describe the displacement as involving almost 100 people [3] or more than 90 persons [1].
The escalation of violence created an environment of insecurity that made remaining in the rural veredas untenable for the local population [2, 3]. Residents fled their lands to escape the crossfire and the instability caused by the competing illegal groups.
Local authorities and community leaders said there is a lack of tranquility in the region as these armed groups vie for control of the territory [3]. The displacement of these families disrupts agricultural production, and places additional strain on the urban centers of the municipality that now host the displaced population.
“Fighting between Clan del Golfo and FARC-EP dissidents has driven dozens of families from rural homes in Antioquia.”
The displacement in Briceño reflects a broader pattern of territorial competition in Antioquia. When the Clan del Golfo and FARC-EP dissidents clash over strategic corridors, civilians are often caught in the middle, leading to a cycle of forced migration that destabilizes rural economies and increases the humanitarian burden on nearby urban municipalities.
