Venezuela announced the deployment of 15,000 military personnel to its border with Colombia on Monday to reinforce security and combat drug trafficking.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the operation, dubbed Relámpago del Catatumbo, will focus on the states of Zulia and Tachira, using drones, boats, aircraft, and other vehicles to patrol the frontier.
Venezuela’s border with Colombia has long been a hotspot for drug trafficking, contraband, and illegal armed groups. Previous United Nations (UN) and Organization of American States (OAS) reports highlight cross-border criminal activity, including smuggling of cocaine and weapons.
Cabello stressed the need for cooperation from Colombia.
"We hope that the Colombian side will do the same on their border to prevent any group from moving back and forth. The best guarantee of peace on the border is for each side to guard its own area as it should," Cabello said.
The announcement coincides with U.S. destroyers operating in the southern Caribbean targeting drug cartels, underlining growing international attention on security and trafficking in the region.
The deployment also comes amidst heightened tensions between Venezuela and Colombia under President Gustavo Petro’s administration.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has increasingly used military deployments to signal sovereignty and control along the frontier.
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The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved a new programme aimed at developing educational courses and training sessions for young parents.
The United States has designated Afghanistan a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention”, accusing the Taliban of holding American citizens to gain political concessions and demanding the immediate release of detained Americans.
British MPs have rejected a proposal to introduce an Australia-style ban on social media for under-16s, opting instead to give ministers flexible powers to impose restrictions on platforms.
Azerbaijan is evacuating nearly 200 people from the Middle East on a special charter flight departing from Oman.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Welcome to our live coverage as the conflict involving Iran enters its 11th day. Tensions in the region remain high as the United States and Iran exchange increasingly sharp warnings over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, has addressed the U.N. Security Council, saying the world must consider how effective its engagement with the Taliban-run country is as millions face hunger.
British MPs have rejected a proposal to introduce an Australia-style ban on social media for under-16s, opting instead to give ministers flexible powers to impose restrictions on platforms.
Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women footballers who sought asylum, fearing persecution after refusing to sing their national anthem at an Asia Cup match.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 10th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump called his recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very good.” The two leaders spoke on Monday about the situation in Iran and other international issues.
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