According to the most recent reports from OCHA, Colombia ranks fifth in the world with the largest number of internally displaced people. Nearly seven million people have been forcibly displaced in the country, averaging 180,000 a year. Internal forced displacement is one of the tragic consequences of the armed conflict, as communities are forced to flee areas where confrontations between illegal armed groups have intensified, posing risks to their safety and livelihoods.

The Colombian Ombudsman’s Office documented 30 incidents of forced displacement in the first four months of 2025 alone, affecting 2,492 families. These numbers exclude the region of Catatumbo, which experienced the forced displacement of approximately 56,000 in January caused by fighting initiated by the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN) and a dissident group of the FARC. 

The communities most affected by displacement are those facing historical and structural discrimination, including Indigenous and Afro Colombian populations, making up 66% of displaced people. The regions with the highest concentration of cases are Chocó, Nariño, Cauca, Valle del Cauca and the north of Antioquia. For Indigenous and Afro-Colombian People, forced displacement can have devastating consequences, as their entire social, cultural and economic system are intrinsically linked to their territory.

Forced Displacement and Confinement in Chocó

One of the regions most affected by displacement is Chocó, as violence is perpetrated by illegal armed and criminal organisations fighting for control over territory and illicit economies such as illegal gold mining and drug trafficking. More than 6,000 people from Chocó arrived in Medellín department, with over 18% coming from Quibdó. According to the National Victims Unit, as of June 2025 there were more than 4,000 victims of forced displacement and confinement in the department, caused by the imposition of 13 “paros armados” (where illegal armed groups forcibly close down all activities and restrict any movement of people in the region)) called by illegal armed groups based along the banks of the San Juan River. The most recent occurred in July.

Forced Confinement

While many communities are forced to leave their homes fleeing violence, others are forced to remain confined in their territory. This occurs when there is conflict between different armed groups for control of communities, illicit economies and territory. Confinement can have devastating effects on communities, as entire families are unable to have access to basic services, such as healthcare and education. They are also prevented from meeting basic needs like food, while livelihoods are severely disrupted as economic activities grind to a halt.

According to the 2025 Annual Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in the first half of 2024, over 71,000 people —mainly from Indigenous communities— were subjected to confinement by armed groups, marking a 39% increase from the same period in 2023. The Ombudsman’s Office registered 28 incidents of confinement in the first four months of 2025, affecting 5,079 families. While these numbers are alarming, they likely underestimate the true scale, as confinement often takes places in isolated regions with little institutional presence, where reporting is difficult. Families and individuals also are intimidated and fear of reprisals, further discouraging them from reporting instances of confinement.

Confinement in Antioquia Department

According to the UN Refugee Agency, the department of Antioquia saw a staggering 488% increase in confinement cases in 2024. By May 2025, three incidents have already resulted in the confinement of 1,542 people in the municipalities of Segovia and Zaragoza. In April, at least 70 families in the Bajo Cauca region of Antioquia were forced to confinement because of confrontations between illegal armed and criminal groups.