BOGOTA, COLOMBIA — The International Committee of the Red Cross said the impact of armed conflict on civilians in Colombia over the past year was the worst in a decade. The organization released its findings at a press briefing in Bogota, reporting that the number of people displaced by armed conflict doubled in 2025 to 235,619 individuals.

The number of civilians affected by mass displacement events also doubled, rising to more than 87,000 in 2025. The number of people who endured lockdowns imposed by rebel groups in small towns and villages increased by 99%. Approximately 965 people were killed or injured by explosive devices, a 33% increase from the previous year.

"The humanitarian situation in 2025 is the result of a progressive deterioration that the ICRC has warned about since 2018," said Olivier Dubois, ICRC's chief of mission in Colombia. "Civilians are experiencing increasingly serious consequences as a result," he said. The ICRC urged all parties in Colombia's armed conflict to respect the rights of civilians and protect those who no longer wish to take part in hostilities. "Respect for international humanitarian law is not optional," the humanitarian group said.

The report stated that fear of injury or death has led many families to remain indoors, restricting access to education, crops and vital services.

Since 1964, Colombia has been involved in an internal conflict among criminal groups, left-wing rebels, right-wing groups and government forces. For decades, rebel groups and drug traffickers have been fighting the Colombian government for control of rural areas, including corridors linked to the cocaine trade. A 2016 peace deal between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia helped reduce rural violence, but after disarming that year, several dissident groups splintered from FARC and continued to fight. Since the 2016 ceasefire, the security situation has deteriorated in many parts of Colombia as smaller groups try to control areas formerly dominated by FARC, taxing local businesses and intimidating civilians.

Gustavo Petro won the 2022 Colombian presidency with a promise to break from a militarized approach to the conflict. Upon taking office, Petro said he would pursue negotiated settlements with armed groups under a strategy called the "Total Peace" plan. A presidential candidate was shot in the head during a rally in Bogota in 2025 and later died from the injuries. The United Nations Human Rights office in Colombia reported that murders of human rights defenders increased by 9% in 2025 and described the security situation as "backsliding."