Colombian forces kill ten ELN rebels, including two commanders, in Cauca raid

Colombian security forces launched the "Ónix" operation in a remote area of the Cauca department, killing ten members of the ELN guerrilla, among them two high-ranking commanders. Troops also seized seven rifles, a pistol and two grenades. President Abelardo de la Espriella described the action as the most severe hit on the ELN in eight years, yet emphasized that a single operation will not end the insurgency.

Since assuming office in early August, de la Espriella has abandoned the previous administration's "Total Peace" negotiations, opting to label all armed groups as terrorist organizations and rely on military and legal pressure. The ELN joins other violent actors in Colombia, such as FARC dissidents and the drug-trafficking Gulf Clan. The raid highlights the government's new, force-focused counter-insurgency strategy.