Explosion in southwest Colombia kills at least seven, state governor says | Crime News
Authorities in Cauca Demand Government Action After Deadly Explosion
Cajibio, Colombia — At least seven people were killed and 20 others injured in a suspected explosive attack on the Pan-American Highway in the Cauca region of Colombia, regional authorities reported.
Governor Octavio Guzman confirmed that the explosion was detonated on Saturday in the El Tunel sector of Cajibio. He condemned the act as an “indiscriminate attack” against civilians.
In a social media post, Guzman expressed the community’s grief, stating, “There are not sufficient words for the pain we feel,” and called for a “decisive, sustained” response from the government to address what he termed a “terrorist escalation.”
A video shared by the governor captured the chaos following the explosion, showing ambulances at the scene and debris scattered across the roadway. Guzman emphasized that “Cauca cannot continue facing this barbarity alone,” referring to similar attacks that had been reported in El Tambo, Caloto, Popayan, Guachene, Mercaderes, and Miranda.
The incident occurred in the wake of several attacks attributed to criminal groups composed of dissident members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), who separated from the organization following the 2016 peace agreement with the government.
On the same day of the explosion, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez was convening a security council in Cali to evaluate the region’s security situation.
President Gustavo Petro responded to the explosion, stating that powerful criminal groups are attempting to instill fear in the population. While specific details of the attack are still being uncovered, Petro appeared to hold a drug trafficker and FARC dissident leader known as Ivan Mordisco responsible.
“I want the maximum worldwide pursuit against this narco-terrorist group,” Petro declared.
