2 Colombian police officers killed in armed attack in Ábrego, Norte de Santander

Two National Police officers were killed Friday morning, September 25, 2026, when armed assailants opened fire on their patrol vehicle in the municipality of Ábrego.

The victims were Intendente César Augusto Rodríguez Nieves, 40, a 20-year veteran of the force, and police auxiliary Bryan (also reported as Brayan or Brian) Stiven Lizarazo Torres, 19. Both died at the scene from gunshot wounds.

According to the National Police and local authorities, the officers were traveling in an official patrol vehicle around 9:30 a.m. to carry out a prevention and community outreach activity at a school. They were attacked with rifle fire—described in reports as bursts from assault rifles—while moving along a road in or near the urban area (sectors referenced include La Piñuela and the route toward Cúcuta). Assailants, who were traveling in another vehicle according to some accounts, fled toward Cúcuta after the attack. The patrol vehicle left the roadway during the shooting.

The National Police issued a statement mourning the officers, describing the killings as a “vile attack with a firearm” and pledging to use all institutional resources to identify and bring those responsible to justice. President Abelardo de la Espriella condemned the attack, attributing it to ELN structures active in the area (specifically mentioning the Camilo Torres and Carlos Armando Cacua Guerrero fronts) and ordering the identification and capture of those responsible, stating he would “make them pay for every drop of blood of our heroes.”

Authorities offered a reward of up to 50 million Colombian pesos for information leading to the identification and capture of the perpetrators. Security forces, including police and army units, deployed in the area to secure the site, evacuate the bodies, and pursue the attackers. The incident occurred amid heightened concerns over a so-called “plan pistola” targeting members of the security forces in Norte de Santander’s Catatumbo region; it followed a recent attack in nearby Ocaña that left one officer seriously wounded.

Defense Minister Jorge Mora López also condemned the killings, saying the officers’ sacrifice would not be forgotten. Local officials, including the mayor of Ábrego, expressed concern over repeated violence in the area.