An explosive attack on the Pan-American Highway in the southwestern Colombian province of Cauca killed at least seven people and wounded dozens on Saturday, according to regional authorities.
The blast occurred in the El Tunel sector of Cajibio, targeting vehicles traveling along the major transit route. The incident is part of a wave of violence across the Cauca and Valle del Cauca departments.
While Al Jazeera reported seven deaths and 20 injuries, La Tercera reported a higher toll of at least 12 dead and 25 wounded. BioBioChile similarly reported seven deaths and 17 injuries.
Governor Octavio Guzman described the event as an "indiscriminate attack" against the civilian population. He noted that the explosion caused a large crater in the road and destroyed several vehicles.
"There are not sufficient words for the pain we feel," Guzman said in a social media post, as shared by Al Jazeera. He called for a "decisive, sustained" response from the national government to combat the "terrorist escalation."
Escalating violence in Cauca
The explosion in Cajibio was not an isolated event. La Tercera reported that authorities have recorded at least seven attacks in the region over the last several hours.
In Mercaderes, another attack on the Pan-American Highway left six people injured, according to La Tercera. Additionally, the Colombian Army's Third Division reported they neutralized a drone equipped with explosives near the José Hilario López military canton in Popayán.
On Friday, an explosion also occurred near commercial zones in Palmira, in the Valle del Cauca department. The governor noted that violence has been reported across several municipalities, including El Tambo, Caloto, Guachene, and Miranda.
President Gustavo Petro attributed the violence to criminal groups formed by dissidents of the FARC rebel group, who split from the main organization following the 2016 peace agreement. Petro specifically pointed toward the forces led by the drug trafficker and FARC dissident leader known as alias Ivan Mordisco.
"Those who attacked and killed seven civilians and wounded 17 more in Cajibio... are terrorists, fascists, and drug traffickers," Petro wrote on X, according to BioBioChile. He further characterized the groups as "criminals against humanity."
Government response and manhunt
The Colombian government is pursuing both military and financial strategies to dismantle the group. Petro called for "the maximum worldwide pursuit against this narco-terrorist group," including the involvement of the Financial Information and Analysis Unit (UIAF) to target their finances, according to Al Jazeera.
The President also announced plans to file formal accusations against the group's leaders before the International Criminal Court (ICC). He argued that the groups use mass violence to exert territorial and political control through fear.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez convened a security council in Cali to assess the regional situation as the attacks unfolded. The Ministry of Defense has also placed a reward of up to 4.5 billion Colombian pesos on the head of alias Marlon, a leader of the FARC dissidents in the region, according to La Tercera.
Recent military operations have seen some success. The Ministry of Defense reported a recent seizure of war material in the Naya River, including M4 rifles, semi-automatic shotguns, and ammunition, which officials say directly impacts the operations of Ivan Mordisco's forces, according to La Tercera.
