SUMMARY

The conflict between EGC and the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada concerned control of drug trafficking routes mainly in the northern Colombia, in the departments of Magdalena, Cesar and La Guajira. This area connected land with the Caribbean Sea offering key exits for trafficking.

The violence can be traced back to 2012 when these groups started to clash in the Santa Marta area, causing a conflict that as of late 2025 had escalated significantly. Clashes mainly took place in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta sector, as the EGC attempted to gain control over drug trafficking routes held by the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada. Heavy fighting between the groups caused the forced displacement of thousands of civilians from Dibulla municipality and the rural area of Santa Marta, particularly between 2019 and 2021.

Since both groups entered negotiations under President Gustavo Petro´s Total Peace policy in 2022, the conflict has been characterized by series of ceasefires agreements and violations. Fighting remained concentrated in strategic locations in the Sierra Nevada

The non-state conflict between EGC and Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada was first included in UCDP data in 2024.