Colombia is facing a renewed wave of violence after a series of 24 coordinated bombings and gun attacks struck the country’s southwest on June 10, leaving at least seven people dead and nearly 30 injured.
The attacks targeted police stations, municipal buildings, and civilian areas in cities including Cali, Corinto, El Bordo, and Jamundí, marking one of the most intense escalations in recent years.
Authorities believe the attacks were carried out by the Central General Staff (EMC), a dissident faction of the former FARC guerrilla group that rejected the 2016 peace deal.
The EMC is suspected of using car bombs, motorcycle bombs, rifle fire, and even drones to execute the strikes. In Corinto, a car bomb leveled a municipal building and destroyed a nearby bakery, shocking residents who initially mistook the blast for an earthquake.
The timing of the attacks has heightened national anxiety. Just three days earlier, conservative presidential candidate Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot twice in the head during a campaign rally in Bogotá. He remains in critical condition, and a 15-year-old suspect has been arrested. Authorities are investigating whether the attacks and the assassination attempt are connected.
Security experts say the EMC may be retaliating for a recent military operation that reportedly injured or killed their leader, known as “Iván Mordisco.” The group issued a statement warning civilians to avoid military and police installations but stopped short of claiming responsibility.
President Gustavo Petro has condemned the violence and ordered increased security for opposition leaders. The attacks have reignited fears of a return to the dark days of the 1980s and 1990s, when Colombia was plagued by political assassinations, cartel bombings, and guerrilla warfare.
As the country mourns the victims and braces for potential further unrest, calls are growing for renewed peace talks and stronger protections for civilians caught in the crossfire of Colombia’s lingering internal conflicts.
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