Colombia slammed its neighbour Venezuela on Thursday for what it said was an “unacceptable” incursion by Venezuelan military forces on its territory, and sent troops to secure the area.
The move came just months after the two neighbours started to reopen their border following a security dispute.
Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos said he had complained to his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro that Venezuelan troops had set up a camp in the Colombian border region of Arauca.
“I told him that the situation is totally unacceptable for Colombia,” Santos said in an address after a meeting with defence chiefs.
“He assured me that he had ordered the withdrawal of the troops from Colombian territory and we agreed to keep open a dialogue and diplomatic channels until the situation returns to normal.”
Santos said Colombian “military personnel” had been sent to the area.