ICRC Says Colombia Conflict Displacement Doubled in 2025 as Explosive Violence Rises

Colombia’s internal conflict has persisted since the mid‑1960s, pitting government forces, left‑wing guerrillas, right‑wing paramilitaries and criminal networks against each other.

The 2016 peace agreement with the FARC led to the demobilization of the country’s largest rebel group, but several dissident factions rejected the deal and kept fighting.

Since then, the conflict has splintered into numerous smaller groups competing for control of coca‑cultivation zones, illegal mining sites and smuggling routes.

In 2022 President Gustavo Petro, a former rebel fighter, launched the Total Peace plan to negotiate with armed groups, a shift from previous militarised tactics.

The initiative has faced setbacks as violence continues, and security remains a key issue ahead of the May 31 elections.

In 2025 the ICRC counted 235,619 individuals newly displaced by fighting, exactly double the figure recorded in 2024.

Of those, 42 % were registered in the Norte de Santander department, a northeastern region that shares a border with Venezuela and hosts several active armed groups.

Separately, explosive‑device incidents caused approximately 965 deaths or injuries, an increase of more than one‑third compared with the previous year.

The rise in displacement places pressure on host communities, reducing access to farmland, schools and basic health services for both newcomers and residents.

Families exposed to explosive threats often remain indoors, which limits their ability to work crops, attend classes or seek medical care.

The ICRC notes that these conditions erode the social fabric, prolong restrictions on essential goods and alter long‑term livelihoods.

The ICRC also reported that the number of people in small communities subjected to lockdowns amid fighting rose by nearly 100 percent in 2025, further restricting movement and access to services.

Analysts will monitor whether the government’s Total Peace initiative produces tangible agreements and if displacement and explosive‑violence trends shift in the coming months.