Truck explodes outside Colombia police base, injuring 11 officers and killing a dog
BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s government on Saturday blamed the nation’s largest remaining rebel group for an explosion outside a police…
On Saturday, a truck explosion occurred outside a police base in Cucuta, Colombia, injuring 11 officers and killing a police dog, according to sources. The attack took place in the early hours of the morning in a city along Colombia’s border with Venezuela, a region where drug gangs and rebel groups have long struggled for control of smuggling routes.
General William Rincon, the head of Colombia’s police, stated that the blast originated from a truck left outside the headquarters building for police in Norte de Santander Province. The blast caused significant damage to the building’s roof and windows. Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez attributed the attack to the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group and offered a $60,000 reward for information leading to those responsible.
The ELN, which has been fighting Colombia’s government for decades, operates in Colombia and neighboring Venezuela with an estimated 6,000 fighters. The group, once founded by union leaders, students, and peasants seeking social justice, has evolved into a criminal organization profiting from illegal gold mining and drug trafficking.
Recent peace negotiations between Colombia and the ELN broke down earlier this year following a series of attacks in the rural area north of Cucuta, resulting in around 78 deaths and forcing at least 56,000 people to flee their homes. Incoming President Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed to confront the ELN and other criminal groups with stronger military force, including resuming aerial fumigation of coca crops.
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