Colombia’s humanitarian crisis hits worst level in a decade, Red Cross warns

The International Committee of the Red Cross has sounded the alarm over Colombia’s humanitarian conditions, describing them as the most severe seen in ten years. The warning came in the organization’s annual report, which documented 965 people killed or wounded by explosive devices—a 34% increase over the prior year. Conflict-related disappearances doubled to 308 cases, while the Red Cross recorded 845 alleged violations of international humanitarian law.

Individual displacement also doubled compared to the previous year, with more than 235,000 people forced to flee their homes. “The humanitarian situation in 2025 is the result of a gradual deterioration that the ICRC has been warning about since 2018,” said Olivier Dubois, head of the regional mission in Bogotá. “Civilians are facing increasingly serious consequences as a result,” he added.

Armed clashes and curfews

According to the report, armed confrontations escalated and in many cases took place inside populated areas or near residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure, exposing local communities to heightened risks. The report also stated that roughly 175,000 people were subjected to curfews imposed by armed groups within their own communities.

Colombia’s 52-year civil war, involving leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries, and government forces, has killed 220,000 people and displaced millions more.