Colombia: One dead and many injured in Arauca car bombing

Colombia: One dead and many injured in Arauca car bombing.

AT least one person has been left dead and five others injured by a car bombing in Colombia, while gunfighting has erupted in the area of Arauca over the week.
According to local media reports, the “terrorist attack” happened in the municipality of Saravena, Arauca when a car bomb was activated in the centre of the town.
The car bomb was said to have been detonated next to the headquarters of the Joel Sierra Human Rights Foundation at around midnight on Wednesday, January 19 and at the time, gunfighting has plagued the city during the week.
Colombian President Iván Duque said: “The blast wave completely destroyed the headquarters of the ICA, compromised the entire structure of the Héctor Alirio building (headquarters of at least five social organisations) and food, bar and residence areas were also affected.”
According to early reports, the person killed by the explosion appears to be an ICA guard.
“The terrorist car bomb attack in Saravena, Arauca, is one that all Colombians reject. Our public police force will continue to strengthen territorial control in the area to corner these armed groups and guarantee the safety of the population,” the president said on Twitter after the attack.
Gunshots were heard near Ecaaas Esp, the community’s utility company, which was also attacked a few days earlier injuring three minors. In fact, on Sunday, January 16, Duque visited Arauca with the military and police leadership to assess the situation.
However, during the visit to the regional capital, members of the ELN (National Liberation Army) appeared armed with rifles in the streets of the village of La Esmeralda, which belongs to the municipality of Arauquita, in an apparent act of territorial control.
As a result of the violence which has broken out in the area since the beginning of the year, the Government has sent two Army battalions to Arauca to reinforce security in “critical areas” where confrontations and damages to the public have occurred, according to Defense Minister Diego Molano.
More than 30 people have already been killed this year in the war between the ELN and FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) dissidents in Arauca.
Videos from the scene show the extent of the damage caused by the blast, with some videos also showing the military personnel onsite.

Hace una hora se detonó un Csrro bomba en Saravena-Arauca. La militarización seguirá siendo la solución a la situación de orden público? #sosarauca #Saravena #Arauca @ONUHumanRights @IvanDuque pic.twitter.com/eSwP3PfT1g

— Hian🪩 (@HileneAnyelith) January 20, 2022

#ÚLTIMAHORA Hace minutos se presentó un ataque terrorista en el municipio de Saravena, Arauca. Un carro bomba fue activado en el centro de la población. pic.twitter.com/EtYYvZkOH2

— WEB INFOMIL.COM (@Webinfomil) January 20, 2022

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