The deadliest attack occurred when a gas cylinder bomb exploded when a bus passed by in the area known as El Tunel, in Cajibio (Cauca), and in addition to fatalities and injuries, it caused serious damage to the Pan-American highway.

This incident was one of several of the same nature that occurred in the same area in the last few hours, but this was the only one that has resulted in deaths so far.

Although news outlets initially reported seven dead and 17 injured, the death toll rose to 14, according to local media reports citing local authorities, and the number of injured climbed to 38.

The escalation of violence began with an attack outside the headquarters of the Third Brigade of the National Army at the Pichincha Military Canton, in southern Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca.

President Gustavo Petro described the perpetrators of the deadly attack in Cauca as terrorists, fascists, and drug traffickers.

Petro wrote on his X profile, “I want the full force of the global pursuit of this narco-terrorist group. I want the UIAF (Unit of Financial Information and Analysis) investigating their finances, I want the best soldiers to confront them, I want the people of Cauca to be freed from this mafia, the dregs of violence.”

jdt/iff/mem/ifs