Clashes at border force 1000's to flee to Colombia

Thousands of Venezuelans are seeking shelter in Colombia this week, following clashes between Venezuela's military and a Colombian armed group in a community along the nations' shared border.

On Thursday, the Colombian government said that more than five thousand people moved from Venezuela to Colombia since Sunday.

The group of displaced people crossed the border in search of protection from the conflict in the border state of Apure, Venezuela.

Authorities in Colombia have set up eight shelters to host the influx of people.

Etelivar Torres Vargas, the mayor of Arauquita, said the group includes elderly people with different illnesses who have asked for medical attention, pushing the local health system to the brink.

"We are at full capacity. It is an enormous burden for our municipality to receive in just four days more than 5000 people,"

The Colombian Ombudsman's Office conducted a census at the site and identified the presence of 858 minors, 134 older adults and 52 pregnant women.

The displaced include 223 people from the binational Sikuani Indigenous community.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Gen. Vladimir Padrino López said Monday in a statement the clashes that began Sunday resulted in the arrests of 32 people, the destruction of six camps and the seizure of weapons, but he did not name the armed group involved.

The Venezuelan government has not said whether the clashes have continued.

The Colombian government has repeatedly accused Venezuela of harbouring the National Liberation Army members and dissidents of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by its Spanish acronym FARC.

Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its concern for the civilian population and called on the international community "to join in assisting in the face of this humanitarian crisis."

Colombia and Venezuela share about 1,370 miles (2,200 kilometres) of border but have not had diplomatic relations since February 2019 following President Nicolás Maduro's decision to expel Colombian diplomats.

Colombia President Iván Duque does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president and instead supports opposition leader Juan Guaidó.