Venezuelan military airstrike targets ELN rebel camp in Apure state

The Venezuelan armed forces reportedly conducted an aerial bombardment on a camp belonging to the National Liberation Army (ELN), a Colombian rebel group, in the state of Apure near the border with Colombia. The incident was reported by the non-governmental organization Fundaredes on November 1, 2026.

While the exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed, local residents estimate that approximately 20 people were killed in the strike. Javier Tarazona, the director of Fundaredes, reported that an organization representative personally counted nine bodies at the site. Fundaredes provided video evidence showing deceased individuals and the destroyed remains of the encampment located in a forested area.

This marks the first instance of Venezuelan military forces launching an airstrike against the ELN, which is considered the most prominent active rebel group in the Americas following the 2016 partial disarmament of the FARC. The 2,219-kilometer border between Colombia and Venezuela has long been a site of violent struggle among armed groups fighting for control over drug trafficking routes and illegal mining operations.