Four people were killed and 17 others were injured on Sunday when a truck loaded with explosives exploded near a military base in the municipality of Planadas, in the Tolima region, in western Colombia. Among the dead was a two-month-old baby. The blast also caused damage to a hospital and several homes near the site of the attack.
The toll was confirmed by Tolima Governor Adriana Magali Matiz, who condemned the incident as unacceptable. According to her, the number of victims remains preliminary.
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Responsibility for the attack, according to Colombian authorities, falls on dissidents of the former FARC rebel group who do not accept the 2016 peace agreement. The Defense Ministry identified members of the “Jerónimo Galeano” structure, part of the FARC dissident groups, as the perpetrators.
To assist the 17 injured people, authorities announced that a field hospital has also been sent.
Footage from the explosion site shows severe destruction, with debris scattered across the streets. One of the videos shows a woman crying in despair as a man pulls a small body wrapped in a blanket from the rubble.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Esperanza strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a cowardly act by narcoterrorists. In a reaction on the social network X, he vowed that these crimes will not go unpunished and warned of an intensified fight against illegal armed groups.
The plans announced by the head of state include continuing army bombings of military targets, increasing special operations and resuming spraying to destroy illegal drug crops.
Local authorities also reported that residents had spotted drones flying over the town center. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles in armed groups’ operations is becoming increasingly frequent.
The incident comes as Colombia faces an escalation of violence. Guerrilla groups and drug cartels are fighting among themselves to control territory and drug trafficking routes.
Since taking office in August, the president has ordered large-scale military operations, including airstrikes against rebel camps. Reports speak of dozens of fighters killed during these operations, including at least eight minors.
At least four armed attacks have been recorded in the past week alone. In one of them, a police officer was killed.
On September 1, a car bomb explosion killed one person and injured 11 others. Several weeks later, three soldiers lost their lives and four were wounded when they hit improvised explosive devices planted by former FARC dissidents.
As one of the world’s leading cocaine producers, Colombia continues to face conflicts among armed groups, fueled by efforts to control the drug trade.
