Eight Venezuelan soldiers have been killed since March 21 in fighting between the army and "
Colombian irregular armed groups
" in southwestern Venezuela, on the border with Colombia, according to a new report provided on Monday April 5 by the Venezuelan Minister of Defense.
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"
As of today (Monday), there have been nine deaths on the side of terrorist groups and unfortunately, we have suffered the loss of eight members of the armed forces, and (we have) 34 wounded,
" said the Minister Vladimir Padrino, in an intervention on public television.
The previous report reported six Venezuelan soldiers killed.
About 30 people were also arrested.
More than 3,000 people have fled to Colombia as a result of the fighting, according to Bogota.
On Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said his country would ask the United Nations for help to secure “
minefields
” deposited by armed groups.
According to the Minister of Defense, 16 explosive devices have already been defused by the army.
From a security source in Colombia, these "
armed groups
" are dissidents of the former Colombian guerrilla forces of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc).
Although most of the 13,000 members of the former Marxist guerrilla have laid down their arms, “
dissident
”
factions
have not accepted the peace process signed in 2016 in Colombia.
These groups without a unified command, financed by drug trafficking and clandestine mines, have strengthened in isolated areas, according to Colombian military intelligence.
President Maduro on Sunday acknowledged the possibility that these groups are FARC dissidents.
Usually, the Venezuelan authorities avoid mentioning these FARC dissidents.
Despite 2,200 kilometers of common border, Venezuela and Colombia no longer have diplomatic relations since Bogota recognized the opponent Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela in 2019. Relations between the two ideologically opposed neighbors are very tense.