Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on the social media platform X that an airstrike on FARC dissident factions in the Catatumbo region near the Venezuelan border killed four militants and captured six, including a leader known as "Barba Chivo." The operation, code‑named Noah, was carried out in the rural area of Tibu, Norte de Santander, and was described by the president as part of a broader campaign to eliminate FARC’s criminal influence along the border.
Following the strike, De la Espriella said the military seized seven rifles and 15 grenade‑ranging drones, and neutralized three encampments that could accommodate roughly 35 members of the disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) dissident groups. The captured leader, “Barba Chivo,” is a close associate of Andrey Avendano, the top commander of the FARC dissident group known as "Structure 33" operating in the municipality of Tibu.
In a post on X, the president elaborated:
In a decisive military operation that I authorized in a rural area of Tibu, Norte de Santander (department), our National Army and Colombian Air Force struck this criminal organization, which seeks to sow terror and exert control over Catatumbo through fire and bloodshed.
He added that the offensive would continue until the top leaders of the dissident factions are captured and brought to justice for attacks carried out by the groups. Since taking office on August 7, De la Espriella has ordered seven bombing raids against various armed criminal and rebel groups in Catatumbo and other regions, including Guaviare and Choco. The targets of these missions have included the two main FARC dissident factions, the National Liberation Army and the Clan del Golfo criminal group.
