Bombing in Colombia before presidential inauguration, 11 injured

A car bomb exploded in the Colombian border city of Cucuta, injuring at least 11 people. Eight police officers and three civilians were among the injured. The attack occurred on Saturday (August 1), just six days before the country's newly elected President Abelardo de la Esperanza took office.

Jorge Quintero, the security secretary for the department of Norte de Santander, told reporters that the injured were being treated in the blast. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

The area of ​​Cucuta, which borders Venezuela, is home to the National Liberation Army (ELN), the FARC dissident group and the criminal organization Clan del Golfo.

In a message on social media, President-elect de la Esperanza strongly condemned the attack on police in Cucuta, calling it a "cowardly terrorist attack." He said that terrorism cannot intimidate Colombia and that it cannot break the people's determination to live in peace and security.

For more than six decades, Colombia has been plagued by conflict between the government, leftist rebel groups, rightist paramilitaries and various criminal gangs. As the world's top cocaine producer, drug trafficking and armed violence are among the country's biggest security challenges.

De la Esperanza, who takes office on August 7, has pledged to crack down on rebel groups and criminal gangs. He has also announced stronger military cooperation with the United States and tougher measures against drug traffickers.

Outgoing President Gustavo Petro, on the other hand, has pursued a policy of dialogue to resolve the armed conflict and has prioritized operations against large drug cartels rather than small coca growers in his anti-drug campaign.

De la Esperanza had previously planned to be sworn in at a military base in the conflict-prone Cauca department due to security concerns. However, since that was not approved, he will be sworn in at City Hall in the capital Bogota. About 11,000 soldiers and police will be deployed at the ceremony.

Source: Al Jazeera