Indigenous Territorial Violence Leaves Seven Dead in Colombia, Army Deployed

Colombia has deployed hundreds of soldiers and police personnel to the southwestern department of Cauca after a violent territorial dispute between two Indigenous communities left at least seven people dead and more than 110 injured, deepening fears of instability in one of the country’s most volatile regions.

The clashes erupted in the rural municipality of Silvia between the Misak and Nasa Indigenous communities , who are fighting over ownership of nearly 800 hectares of ancestral land . The disputed territory was recently granted to the Nasa community through a controversial ruling by Colombia’s National Land Agency , triggering outrage among the Misak people, who claim the land belongs to them by ancestral right.

Colombia’s Defence Ministry said more than 500 soldiers backed by air support had been deployed to restore order and prevent further escalation. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that the casualty figures could still rise as authorities continue to assess the aftermath of the violence. Most of the injured reportedly suffered gunshot wounds .

Local officials said the confrontation rapidly escalated from the use of sticks, stones and wooden clubs to firearms, machetes and shotguns. Videos circulating on social media showed armed members of both communities fighting along rural roads, while several people were reportedly detained during the clashes.

Authorities confirmed that four of the dead were members of the Misak community and two belonged to the Nasa group, while one victim has yet to be identified. The Ombudsman’s Office and humanitarian agencies have dispatched emergency teams to assist the wounded and recover bodies from remote areas.

President Gustavo Petro has called for an emergency meeting with leaders from both Indigenous groups, while Vice President Francia Márquez offered to mediate the dispute. Márquez said it was unacceptable for “brother communities” with shared histories of violence and exclusion to resort to bloodshed.

The National Land Agency said it had been conducting mediation sessions and technical negotiations since tensions intensified in April. Officials acknowledged the ruling over the disputed land risked inflaming tensions but urged both communities to remain in dialogue.

The violence has also highlighted broader security concerns in Cauca, where illegal armed groups, drug trafficking networks and dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) continue to operate despite the country’s 2016 peace agreement.