Seven Killed in Colombia as Rebel Attacks Target Police Stations; Senator in Critical Condition
Seven people, including two police officers, were killed on Tuesday in a wave of coordinated bomb attacks across Colombia, according to a statement by the National Police. The attacks, which took place near police stations in the city of Cali and the nearby province of Cauca, are being blamed on the FARC-EMC, a dissident rebel faction composed of former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who rejected the 2016 peace agreement with the government.
Authorities reported that the assailants used car and motorcycle bombs placed near police facilities and also launched assaults using firearms and grenades. In total, 24 separate attacks were carried out in Cali, Cauca, and Valle del Cauca, leaving 28 people injured—19 of them civilians.
The violence came just days after Miguel Uribe, a conservative presidential candidate, was shot during a political rally in Bogotá. Uribe remains in critical condition, and investigators are still working to determine who was behind the assassination attempt.
The Colombian government continues to face serious challenges in maintaining security, both in urban centers and remote regions, as various armed groups seek to claim control over territory vacated by FARC after the 2016 peace accord. Peace talks with the FARC-EMC broke down last year following a series of violent incidents against indigenous communities. Meanwhile, negotiations are ongoing with another FARC offshoot led by commander Luis Alberto Alban, also known as Marcos Calarcá.
