Deadly Bus Bombing Kills 20 In Southwest Colombia

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA (Worthy News) – A period of mourning continued Monday in southwestern Colombia after at least 20 people were killed in a bus bombing along a key highway, officials said, in one of the deadliest recent attacks in the volatile region.

Authorities said the explosion occurred Saturday on the Pan-American Highway in the municipality of Cajibío, in Cauca province, when an explosive device detonated on a passenger bus.

Among the victims were 15 women and five men, according to Cauca Governor Octavio Guzmán, who declared three days of mourning.

He said at least 36 people were injured, including three in critical condition. Five of the wounded are minors who are expected to recover, he added in remarks posted on social media platform X.

VICTIMS IDENTIFIED

Colombia’s Institute of Legal Medicine said specialists, including dentists, anthropologists, and forensic doctors, were working to identify the victims.

The bombing is the latest in a surge of violence in the region, with more than two dozen incidents reported over the past three days in southwestern Colombia, authorities said.

The area is known for the presence of illegal armed groups competing for control of coca cultivation zones and strategic trafficking routes to Central America and Europe.

General Hugo López described the attack as a “terrorist act,” blaming fighters linked to a man known as “Iván Mordisco,” one of Colombia’s most wanted figures.

ARMED GROUPS BLAMED

Officials said the suspected perpetrators include the Jaime Martínez faction, a dissident group that split from the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after a 2016 peace deal.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the attack on civilians and urged authorities to investigate and ensure accountability.

Violence has persisted in parts of Colombia despite the historic peace agreement with FARC, as dissident factions and other armed groups continue to operate in remote regions.

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