At least 7 dead after wave of explosions hit southwest Colombia, authorities say
Explosions occurred in the city of Cali and several towns in the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, the Colombian National Army reported on X. It added that the country's police were a 'direct target' of the attacks.
Colombia's national police reported more than 20 'terrorist attacks' throughout the day, including car bombings, firearm attacks, and the launching of explosive devices.
At least two officers were among those killed, and a mix of civilians, military personnel, and police were among the 28 people injured, police added.
The army said it has intelligence linking the attacks to the leader of the guerrilla group Estado Mayor Central, one of the factions of fighters that remain after the country's FARC rebels signed a peace agreement with the Colombian government. It did not offer evidence for the claim.
Estado Mayor Central has not claimed responsibility for the attack. In a Tuesday statement, the group accused Colombia's government of reneging on the peace process and issued tips to civilians on avoiding the crossfire. CNN is reaching out to the group for comment.
In Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, the city's mayor Alejandro Eder said three explosive devices were detonated on Tuesday.
Eder said the explosions were recorded in Cali's Los Mangos area, near the Meléndez police station, and another at the Manuela Beltrán Immediate Attention Center (CAI), a police substation. The situation is now 'under control,' Eder said later on Tuesday, adding that he ordered security forces to deploy throughout the city
'They want us to go back to 1989, we won't allow for it!' Eder said, referencing a period of intense violence in Colombia, including the assassination of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán.
Videos of the aftermath in Cali, posted to social media and geolocated by CNN, show exploded vehicles still burning and scorched debris scattered across the street. Crowds of dazed pedestrians are seen gathering around the site as emergency sirens sound in the distance.
The defense ministry said military forces prevented six attacks and captured two people preparing explosives.
Sergio Guzman, the founder of Colombia Risk Analysis, a Bogota-based risk consultancy, told CNN the attacks demonstrate how criminal armed organizations are 'trying to pressure the government further to make more agreements or concessions to them.'
Dilian Francisca Toro, the governor of Valle del Cauca, where Cali is located, urged Colombian President Gustavo Petro to convene the country's Security Council to respond to the 'current escalation of terrorism.'
The attacks in downtown Cali were particularly significant, as they impacted the largest urban area in the south of the country and a major tourist and economic hub, International Crisis Group Senior Analyst Elizabeth Dickinson told CNN.
'It indicates also that these organizations have an interest not only in being present in rural areas where they have access to illicit economies, but also to more broadly destabilizing the country and affecting urban security,' Dickinson said.
In October, thousands of delegates from around the world gathered in Cali for a UN-sponsored conference on biodiversity, as Petro's government sought to present Colombia as a vibrant, biodiverse nation that had left the worst chapters of its violent political history behind.
Colombian Vice-President Francia Márquez Mina condemned the violence.
'I categorically reject the wave of violence that has erupted in Cali and northern Cauca at this time. It's unacceptable to instill fear in the people and then offer security,' she said on X, 'As a National Government, we must redouble our efforts to restore public order and guarantee the security and peace of mind of the Colombian people.'
The blasts come days after prominent Colombian politician and presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot at a campaign event. Uribe remains in critical condition as of Tuesday morning. A 15-year-old has been charged with attempted murder over the shooting.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro says he has asked US authorities to help investigate the shooting, saying the suspect's weapon was purchased in Arizona.
CNN's Avery Schmitz contributed to this report.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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