Two guerrilla members have been arrested in connection with a devastating truck bomb attack in Cali, Colombia, that killed six civilians and injured more than 60 others.
The Colombian Prosecutor’s Office announced on Saturday that Walter Yonda and Carlos Obando Aguirre, members of the Jaime Martinez Front of the Central General Staff (EMC), have been charged with aggravated homicide and other offenses. If convicted, they face up to 50 years in prison.
The deadly bomb blast took place on Thursday, outside a military aviation school in Cali, one of Colombia’s largest cities. The guerrillas are accused of transporting and detonating two trucks packed with ammonium nitrate-based explosives and mortar grenades.
The explosion left the city in chaos, with authorities scrambling to provide medical assistance and secure the area.
The attack is part of a larger wave of violence across the country, with tensions escalating due to the activities of dissident guerrilla groups that rejected the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
On the same day as the Cali attack, another guerrilla group in the northwest of the country shot down a helicopter with drones and rifles, killing 13 police officers.
In response to the rising violence, Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed the capture of Diomar Mancilla, a member of the Jaime Martinez Front, who was allegedly involved in the civilian attack. President Petro vowed to continue efforts to combat these dissident factions, alongside drug cartels and paramilitary groups.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized the government’s commitment to neutralizing these threats, stating that all available resources would be deployed to tackle the growing insurgency.
He also met with law enforcement officials in the Antioquia department, where the latest wave of attacks had occurred, to strengthen coordination and response strategies.
The series of attacks, including the assassination of a conservative presidential candidate, highlights the severity of Colombia’s security crisis. Guerrilla groups, especially dissidents from the FARC, have continued to engage in violent actions, contributing to an increase in instability.
The government’s efforts to curb these activities have been hampered by the complex mix of armed groups profiting from illegal activities such as drug trafficking, extortion, and illegal mining.
