Seven killed in wave of attacks in South-West Colombia

At least seven people, including two police officers, have died in a series of coordinated bomb and gun attacks in south-western Colombia, according to local media.

The attacks targeted Cali, the country’s third-largest city, and several nearby towns, using car bombs, motorcycle bombs, rifle fire and a suspected drone.

Authorities said the violence marked a major escalation in the country’s ongoing security crisis.

The Colombian Ministry of Defence said a total of 19 attacks had taken place, including 12 in the Cauca region and seven in the Valle del Cauca region.

The ministry described the situation as “a desperate reaction by illegal armed groups to the massive operations of the [military and police], which have devastated their illicit structures and economies.”

Local media reports suggest some of the attacks may be linked to a faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a former guerrilla group. However, this has not been independently confirmed.

Police stations, municipal buildings, and civilian targets were all hit. Reports put the number of injured between 28 and more than 50 people.

Cali’s mayor said the city had returned to the conditions of 1989, a time when it was deeply affected by drug-related violence and cartels.

The attacks come just days after an attempted assassination of presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay during a campaign event in the capital, Bogota. A 15-year-old was arrested at the scene.

On Tuesday, the Attorney General’s office said the teenager did not accept the charges against him, which include attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm. A judge has ordered his detention.