Guerrilla Bombings in Northeast Colombia Injure Six Amid Rising Security Concerns
Six people were wounded in four overnight bomb attacks carried out by guerrilla fighters in northeast Colombia, officials confirmed Thursday, raising fears about the country’s fragile peace process.
Authorities blamed the National Liberation Army (ELN) for the attacks, which occurred in a volatile area near the Venezuelan border. The government had called off peace negotiations with the group last month.
A car bomb severely damaged a toll booth outside Villa del Rosario, while explosives also targeted police stations in the city and nearby Cucuta, according to General William Quintero, the regional police commander.
A Norte de Santander government source told AFP that six people sustained injuries in the attacks.
Analysts say security in Colombia has worsened under President Gustavo Petro’s peace initiatives, which have reduced military operations against armed groups. Petro, elected in 2022 on a promise of “total peace,” aimed to end six decades of violence involving leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, drug cartels, and government forces.
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Despite a 2016 peace deal that led to the disarmament of the FARC rebels, peace talks with remaining armed groups have repeatedly collapsed. Norte de Santander remains a stronghold for the 5,800-member ELN, which recently launched an offensive against rival factions and alleged civilian sympathizers in the Catatumbo region.
The violence has killed over 50 people and displaced 50,000, leading Petro’s administration to suspend negotiations with the ELN. The group has engaged in failed peace talks with Colombia’s last five governments.
Adding to the country’s turmoil, President Petro recently demanded the resignation of his entire cabinet, citing inefficiency. One of the key departures was Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez, replaced by Air Force General Pedro Sanchez.
On Monday, Petro claimed that powerful criminal groups, including the ELN, plotted to shoot down his plane with missiles.
Guerrilla Bombings in Northeast Colombia Injure Six Amid Rising Security Concerns
