Six killed, 100 injured in Indigenous land dispute in Colombia
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Bogotá: At least six people have been killed and more than a hundred injured following severe territorial clashes between the indigenous Misak and Nasa communities over ancestral lands in southwestern Colombia. Violent confrontations erupted in a rural area of the municipality of Silvia, located in the department of Cauca.
The conflict intensified early Thursday morning when members of the Misak community entered the disputed territory to reclaim what they argued was land ‘illegally occupied’ by the Nasa people.
In response, members of the Nasa indigenous reserve of Pitayó immediately reacted, leading to intense fighting. Both sides engaged in the dispute using sticks, stones, and bladed weapons.
Following urgent calls for peace from local leaders, Colombia's Defense Minister announced the immediate deployment of public military forces to protect lives and secure the ground.
Furthermore, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has officially summoned representatives from both the Misak and Nasa peoples to a meeting next Monday to resolve the crisis through social dialogue.
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