BOGOTA, Colombia — The Colombian government has reinitiated arrest warrants for the leaders of the country’s largest guerrilla faction following violent assaults on civilians amid a fierce struggle for territory. This conflict has erupted between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of another group, all vying for control over a coca cultivation area near the Venezuelan border.

In 2022, President Gustavo Petro’s left-leaning administration had temporarily halted the warrants against the senior commanders of the ELN, aiming to engage the 60-year-old group in peace negotiations. However, in light of recent escalations, the government has reversed its stance.

Among the 31 rebel leaders whose arrests were ordered by the prosecutor’s office includes Pablo Beltrán, who serves as the primary negotiator for the ELN in the faltering peace talks. Also on the list is the group’s high-ranking military official, Antonio García, known by his moniker.

In response to the ongoing violence, President Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla organization, has chosen to halt the peace discussions entirely.

The Catatumbo region of Colombia has endured significant turmoil, with at least 80 individuals reported dead and thousands more displaced over just the past week. The conflict, particularly brutal between the ELN and remnants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), has led to the displacement of approximately 18,000 residents, with some seeking refuge across the border in Venezuela.

The clash between these armed factions centers on control over critical drug smuggling routes, which have contributed to a surge in cocaine production within Colombia in recent years. Despite the ongoing struggle for dominance, the reasons behind the breakdown of the fragile ceasefire remain uncertain. Analysts suggest that the ELN, which draws inspiration from the Cuban revolution, may be losing ground in its traditional stronghold of northeastern Colombia as FARC dissidents continue to gain power.