At Least 19 Dead in Alleged Venezuelan Airstrike on ELN Rebel Camp Near Colombian Border

BUENA VISTA DEL META, VENEZUELA — At least 19 people have reportedly been killed in an alleged military bombing operation launched by Venezuelan forces targeting an encampment of Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas near the border between the two South American nations.

The airstrike reportedly struck a camp in the rural sector of Buena Vista del Meta, located within Venezuela's western border state of Apure. The incident has reignited serious regional security concerns and heightened tensions along the volatile frontier.

Details regarding the early-morning air operation emerged following reports from human rights observers and regional media outlets. Juan Francisco García Escalona, coordinator for the human rights NGO FundaRedes in Apure, confirmed that local residents in the remote border region provided testimonies describing heavy bombardment and military maneuvers in the vicinity of the camp.

Colombian media outlets, including Blu Radio, reported that the Venezuelan armed forces carried out targeted aerial strikes against the encampment used by the ELN—Colombia's largest remaining active leftist guerrilla group.

"Testimonies from the area confirm a major military bombing operation in Buena Vista del Meta, with reports indicating at least 19 fatalities at the site," stated García Escalona.

The border zone between Venezuela's Apure state and neighboring Colombian departments has long been a flashpoint for armed conflict, illicit drug trafficking, and contraband smuggling. Armed groups—including the ELN and dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)—have historically utilized the remote terrain across the border for shelter, logistics, and strategic depth.

While Venezuelan forces have periodically engaged in counter-insurgency operations along the border, reports of heavy military airstrikes targeting ELN positions mark a significant escalation in anti-guerrilla factions within Venezuelan territory.

Local authorities and human rights organizations are monitoring the situation closely to verify the identities of those killed and to determine whether civilians were present in the immediate area during the operation. Neither military officials nor diplomatic representatives from either government have issued formal public statements regarding joint border coordination or diplomatic fallout as investigations into the strike continue.