Colombian military personnel and police officers gather evidence at the site of a motor pump explosion in Jamundí, Colombia, in June 2024. Photo: Ernesto Guzman Jr./EFE
17 people were injured, including two police officers and three minors, in an attack with explosives against a police station in southwestern Colombia, local authorities reported.
The governor of the Cauca department, Octavio Guzmán, wrote this Monday, February 24, that an “explosive device,” possibly a motorcycle bomb, detonated a few meters from the police station in the rural municipality of Morales, injuring 17 people.
“Among the victims is a 7-year-old girl who was rushed to hospital due to the severity of her injuries. There are also 2 young people with shrapnel in their faces and 2 police officers,” Guzmán added.
#Urgente | Morales, Cauca vuelve a ser blanco de la violencia 🚨
Un artefacto explosivo, posiblemente una moto bomba, detonó a pocos metros de la estación de policía, dejando 17 personas heridas, entre ellas, una niña de 7 años que tuvo que ser trasladada de urgencia por la…
— OCTAVIO GUZMÁN (@OctavioGuzmanGu) February 24, 2025
The Secretary of Government of Cauca, Miller Hurtado, reported that of the total injured, 12 people were affected by the shockwave from the explosion, while 5 others suffered shrapnel wounds.
Meanwhile, the police commander of the department, Giovanni Torres, attributed the attack to the Jaime Martínez Front, an armed group operating in the area, which is home to approximately 40,000 residents. Torres noted that this group rejected the historic 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group. Today, the Jaime Martínez Front is considered a FARC dissident faction.
It is important to highlight that the southwestern region of Colombia remains a hotspot for conflict, with FARC dissidents, fighters from the National Liberation Army (ELN), and various drug trafficking groups vying for control of the area.
Insufficient efforts to protect civilians
On Monday, the United Nations (UN) criticized the Colombian government, stating that its efforts to safeguard civilians remain “insufficient.” The UN also warned that armed groups are “expanding” their influence despite ongoing peace negotiations.
This condemnation comes as Colombia faces its most severe wave of violence in the past decade. Between 2023 and 2024, the municipality of Morales has witnessed multiple attacks of a similar nature, resulting in at least 8 deaths and numerous injuries.
(RedRadioVE) by Milena Bravo
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SH
