9 ELN members killed in Colombian army airstrike in Cauca department
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella confirmed that nine members of the National Liberation Army (ELN) were killed in a strategic military bombing in the rural area of El Tambo, Cauca department. The operation, authorized by the president, was carried out in the early hours of Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Among those killed, according to preliminary identification, is alias "Marcos Pacรญfico," considered the second-in-command of the ELN's Southwestern War Front and head of the Josรฉ Marรญa Becerra front. Authorities indicated that his identity is pending confirmation through fingerprint analysis. The government linked him to kidnappings, attacks on security forces, and the direction of urban militia actions during the 2022 protests.
This is the fifth bombing against illegal armed groups ordered by the current Colombian government, which has maintained a hard-line security policy since taking office in August 2026.