Ban Ki-moon urges restraint as tensions rise along Colombian border

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged restraint among Colombia and its neighbours as troops from Ecuador and Venezuela amassed at their borders with Colombia following a weekend attack that left a rebel leader dead.

Mr. Ban is concerned about the “increased tensions and heightened rhetoric emerging over the weekend” involving the three South American nations, his spokesperson said in a statement.

According to media reports, Ecuador and Venezuela deployed their troops to the border after Colombia struck inside Ecuador on Saturday, killing senior Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) commander Raul Reyes.

The Secretary-General called on all three countries to address their shared concerns “in the spirit of dialogue and cooperation that has traditionally characterized their relations.”