At least seven people died and 50 others were hurt in bombing attacks across Colombia. The attacks happened in the city of Cali and nearby towns, making people worry about rising violence in the country. Police say the accused carried out 19 different attacks using car bombs, motorcycle bombs, and guns. They hit police stations, government buildings, and other public places.
Police and Civilians Targeted in Attacks
The attacks killed two police officers and multiple other civilians. Police chief Carlos Fernando Triana said the attackers used different weapons, including car bombs, motorcycle bombs, rifles, and maybe even a drone.
The violence hit Cali, which is Colombia’s third biggest city, including smaller towns like Villa Rica, Guachiente, and Corinto. People who saw the attacks described seeing destroyed cars and burnt debris everywhere.
One woman named Luz Amparo was at home when a bomb destroyed her bakery in Corinto. “We thought it was an earthquake”, she said. “My husband said no, they are shooting.” When she went, she found everything was completely destroyed.
Rebel Group Blamed for Violence
Police think a rebel group called the Central General Staff performed these attacks. This group used to be a part of a bigger rebel group called FARC that made peace with the government years ago, but some fighters didn’t agree with the peace agreement.
A security expert named Elizabeth Dickenson said these attacks show how strong this rebel group has become. She thinks they might be fighting back because the army has been trying to catch their leader, who goes by the name “Ivan Mordisco.”
The rebel group put out a statement telling people to stay away from military and police buildings, but they didn’t say they did the attacks.
Country on Edge After Shooting
These bombing attacks came three days after someone tried to kill a presidential candidate in Bogota, the capital city. Miguel Uribe, who is 39 years old and works as a senator, got shot twice in the head as he was publicly campaigning.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested for the shooting, but says he didn’t do it. The government thinks someone paid him to shoot Uribe. Many people in Colombia are scared that the country might go back to being violent like in the 1990s.
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