Venezuela Creates Military Unit on Colombia Border Amid Fighting With Armed Groups

CARACAS - Venezuela has created a special military unit for an area on its border with Colombia that has been the center of clashes between troops and illegal armed groups since last month, the defense minister said Monday. 

Thousands of civilians have been displaced by combat with fighters that the government of President Nicolas Maduro calls terrorists.  General Vladimir Padrino said a temporary unit called an Integrated Operational Defense Zone, or ZODI, will operate in several municipalities of Apure state, where the clashes have taken place.  "We are not going to allow any type of force, be it conventional, irregular, criminal, drug trafficker, etcetera, to come to Venezuelan territory to commit crimes," Padrino said in a televised statement.