Terrorist attack in Colombia leaves 3 dead and several wounded

A terrorist bomb attack on Wednesday afternoon in northeastern Colombia killed three people and injured at least 12 others.

According to preliminary information from the Norte de Santander Police, the attack in the municipality of Tibú was directed against a patrol car. However, a passing public transport bus and a person on a motorcycle were also affected.

The explosive charge was set off in the afternoon just as a police car passed by. The impact killed two officers inside the patrol car and the woman driving the motorcycle. Four uniformed officers and eight people on the bus were injured.

The explosion also caused damage in the area, as several power lines were destroyed, leaving some sectors without electricity.

"The Nortesantandereanos[people of Norte de Santander] will not put up with any more deaths or violent actions by armed groups. We reject the events that took the lives of several people in the municipality of Tibú, leaving their families in grief and a department that yearns for peace. It is not fair that this population continues to be the victim of terrorist attacks," said the local government.

Maximum alert zone

After the attack, the security forces declared the Norte del Santander area under maximum alert. Although so far, no armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack, this area of the country is often home to the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN), the dissidents of the 33rd front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as well as other criminal gangs fighting over drug trafficking corridors and coca crops.