BOGOTA, CO – A series of violent attacks rocked Colombia late Thursday and into Friday morning, marking a significant escalation of aggression against the nation’s military forces. The assault is the first major act of violence since a mafia group, which emerged from the disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), declared its intention to intensify operations earlier this week.
The attacks took place in the conflict-ridden southwestern region of the country, involving explosives and firearms. The army reported one soldier wounded during the onslaught.
The recent ceasefire agreement between the government and the FARC dissidents was abruptly ended when the latter allegedly attacked a rural Indigenous community in the same region, violating the truce. This development has put the government of President Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla leader turned leftist politician, in a precarious position. Petro had campaigned on the promise of establishing lasting peace in a nation that has been marred by violence throughout its history.
The injured soldier was on duty at a military base in Tumaco, a southwestern city known as a hotspot for armed groups. He was injured by shrapnel from a grenade thrown by a motorcyclist, an incident currently under investigation.
In a separate incident, an explosive device was hurled at a military facility in the city of Cali, resulting in no casualties. The FARC dissidents are believed to be behind this attack.
Major General Erik Rodriguez Aparicio explained that the attackers drive a vehicle close to the military installation and then detonate a charge that releases the explosives inside. He added that these attacks are a response to the military’s forceful operations against two factions of FARC dissidents in the regions of Valle del Cauca, Nariño, and Cauca.
A third attack occurred early Friday in the rural area of JamundÃ, a town about 15 miles from Cali. Armed assailants fired at a police station from the mountains. The police requested army reinforcements but were met with further attacks from mafia fighters using gas cylinders filled with explosives and shrapnel.
The FARC dissidents emerged following the collapse of the 2016 peace accords between the government and the guerrillas. Many former rebels resumed their fight against the government, joining a slew of smaller narco-trafficking militias vying for territory, which has led to a surge in violence in recent years.
Despite President Petro’s efforts to address the root causes of the endemic violence, such as poverty, and negotiate peace agreements with some of the armed groups, violence continues unabated. Some militias have exploited ceasefires to expand their territories and escalate illegal activities.