• 36 people were injured, with 22 being taken to various hospitals and clinics, say officials

BOGOTA, Colombia

At least two police officers and five civilians were killed in 17 bomb and car bomb attacks that struck the Cauca and Valle del Cauca regions in southwestern Colombia on Tuesday, officials said, adding that 36 people were injured, with 22 being taken to various hospitals and clinics.

Authorities say the attacks were carried out by FARC dissidents loyal to Ivan Mordisco to commemorate the third anniversary of the death of Leider Johany Noscue, also known as Mayimbu, a Western Coordinating Command commander killed in 2022.

The attacks were specifically aimed at police officers. A sniper killed Jair Gonzalo Gurrute, a 24-year-old patrolman from Caloto. Another officer was killed when gunmen planted an explosive device at his checkpoint near the Villa Rica toll booth in Cauca.

Two civilians were killed in separate explosions near Cali police stations, and another bomb explosion killed four people in the municipality of Jamundi, authorities reported. They also attributed the attacks to FARC dissidents.

There were non-fatal attacks in the Cauca municipalities of Buenos Aires, Timbiqui, Corinto, and Patia.

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that the attacks are a response to recent military successes in the region.

“We are penetrating the core of Mordisco’s operations, both in the Micay Canyon and the Narino mountain range. Since they can’t confront security forces directly, they resort to terrorist acts to relieve the pressure,” he told local media.

Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder and Valle del Cauca Governor Dilian Francisca Toro publicly condemned the terrorist attacks.

Colombia has seen a sharp increase in political and criminal violence in recent months at the hands of the dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) Marxist-Leninist rebel group and the National Liberation Army (ELN) leftist guerrilla insurgent group.

Although Gustavo Petro’s government has sought to bring the country’s multiple armed groups to the negotiating table, they continue intensifying their battle for territories crucial to drug transport, and their influence continues to expand.