7 killed as wave of attacks rock Colombia

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least seven people have been killed in a wave of attacks across Colombia, media reports said on Wednesday.

The Colombian Ministry of Defence confirmed that 19 attacks had taken place, the BBC reported.

Local media have linked some of the violence to a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a former guerrilla group that once wielded significant power in the country.

The attacks reportedly involved car bombs, motorcycle explosives, rifle fire, and a suspected drone. Among the dead were two police officers, with the violence targeting Cali—Colombia’s third-largest city—and several nearby towns.

Police stations, municipal offices, and civilian areas were hit as the country grapples with an escalating security crisis.

According to Reuters and Agence France-Presse, the death toll stands at seven, while the number of injured ranges between 28 and over 50.

The surge in violence comes just days after an attempted assassination of presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay during a campaign event in the capital, Bogotá. A 15-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene.

On Tuesday, the Attorney General’s Office stated that the teenager denied the charges against him, which include attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm. A judge has ordered the youth to remain in detention, the office added.

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