Colombia's Institute of Studies for Development and Peace (INDEPAZ) Observatory of Conflicts, Peace, and Human Rights reported that the number of social leaders' assassinations of had climbed to 251 deaths so far this year in the country.
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The Report highlighted that the indigenous people are the sector most affected by the killings while noting that 90 of the victims were Indigenous people, 70 rural workers, 28 community leaders, 24 were civic leaders, and 8 union leaders, among others.
The department of Cauca with 84 assassinations and Antioquia with 26 recorded the highest number of unlawful killings.
Meanwhile, 71 massacres have occurred this year, in which 282 people have been murdered.
The report pointed out that members of illegal armed groups and criminal organizations are responsible for the increase in violence in rural and urban areas of the country.
The Killings of social leaders have also occurred in the Departments of Nariño (25), Putumayo (17), Valle del Cauca (13), Norte de Santander (12), Huila (11), Cordoba (10), Choco (9), and Bolivar (7).
Meanwhile, according to a report by the Conflict Analysis Resource Center (CERAC) political violence has increased by 80 percent since October.