A local mayor has asked for help from the military to stop oil spilling from two stretches of pipeline allegedly bombed by Colombia’s second-largest rebel group ELN.
The two attacks on the joint Colombian-U.S. owned Caño Limon-Coveñas pipeline, producing spills of crude oil, took place in the rural municipality of Toledo in Norte de Santander department, near the Venezuelan border.
Newspaper El Colombiano reported that explosives were detonated at 8PM on Thursday, and then at 7:30AM on Friday.
The Toledo Mayor, John Triana, told Caracol Radio that the local government was organizing an environmental response to prevent oil from spilling into local rivers and affecting the drinking water supply.
“We have activated contingency plans with Ecopetrol, the Office of Risk Management and the authorities in the affected zones to avoid any more damage caused by the petroleum,” said Triana.
He asked military authorities in the area to accompany crews while they repair the damaged stretches of pipeline.
The Caño Limon-Coveñas Pipeline had been attacked 27 times this year alone, according to Caracol Radio.
Toledo, Norte de Santander
Sources
- Dos nuevos atentados contra oleoducto Caño Limón – Coveñas (Caracol Radio)
- Atentan contra el oleoducto Caño Limón Coveñas (El Colombiano)
