Colombia ends safe zone for former fighters, plans reintegration
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In Putumayo, Colombia, President Abelardo de La Espriella ended the Temporary Location Zone (ZUT) for members of the Comandos de La Frontera group on September 9, 2026, with the change taking effect September 30.
The decision followed the conclusion of dialogue with the Coordinadora Nacional del Ejército Bolivariano (Cneb) on August 28, and the president’s authority to determine the course of peace negotiations.
The 99 people previously in the ZUT had expressed their desire to leave armed groups and disassociate from the Cneb in early August. They will now be eligible for reintegration through the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN), which will individually assess each person’s case and continue the process. However, reintegration has already faced obstacles for six former fighters who are either foreign nationals or lack the necessary documentation.
Prior to the ZUT’s closure, only the operating company remained present in the zone, as the ARN and the Office of the Peace Commissioner had already withdrawn. The government also authorized the extradition of Alias Araña, a key leader of the Comandos. The Comandos de La Frontera, with armed groups in both Nariño and Putumayo departments, previously controlled cocaine production and trade in the region.
Despite exercising social control through fines and tolls, the group’s actions had led to a decrease in homicides and massacres in the last year, and the group had already surrendered weapons and destroyed war material.
