In Bogota, 20 Colombian fighters from rival rebel factions were killed in weekend clashes over control of a strategic jungle area for drug trafficking, according to military sources and the human rights ombudsman office.
The confrontations involved factions formerly belonging to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the southeastern Guaviare jungle region.
In a separate incident, the National Liberation Army (ELN) launched an offensive in the northeastern Catatumbo region, resulting in 11,000 people being displaced.
President Gustavo Petro declared a state of internal unrest and economic emergency in the Catatumbo area via a social media post, criticizing the warring factions for their actions.
The ombudsman's office confirmed the significant casualties from the clashes on social media, with at least 20 dead rebels reported by the army and local authorities in the recent jungle violence incidents.
The rival FARC factions consist of one group involved in peace talks with Petro's administration and another determined to continue fighting following the suspension of a bilateral ceasefire by the government last April due to internal disagreements.
Colombia's armed conflict, funded mainly by drug trafficking and illegal mining, has endured for over six decades, resulting in more than 450,000 fatalities and millions of displaced individuals.