Bomb attack on Colombian highway kills at least seven

At least seven people died and 17 others were wounded Saturday in a bomb attack on the Panamericana highway in southwestern Colombia, authorities said.

The explosive device detonated in the afternoon in a zone called El Túnel in the municipality of Cajibío, Cauca department. According to officials, a cylinder filled with explosives was launched onto a minibus traveling on the highway. The blast destroyed the bus, causing severe damage to its roof and windows, and damaged other vehicles nearby. The explosion also left a large crater in the roadway, forcing authorities to interrupt traffic in the area.

Video footage circulated on social media showed the extent of damage to the vehicles and the highway surface. The attack was described by authorities as indiscriminate violence against the civilian population.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack as "terrorism" aimed at producing "massive fear in the population through violence." Petro directly attributed responsibility to the guerrilla group led by Iván Mordisco.

The attack was one of multiple incidents in the region over a short period. On the same day, a second attack occurred on the Panamericana in Mercaderes, also in Cauca, leaving six people wounded. Additionally, authorities reported a drone equipped with explosives was neutralized at the José Hilario López military canton in Popayán, the departmental capital, according to the Third Division of the National Army.

On Friday, another explosive device detonated near commercial zones in Palmira, Valle del Cauca department. In total, authorities registered at least seven attacks across Cauca and Valle del Cauca departments within a span of hours.

One source reported higher casualty figures, stating at least twelve people died and twenty-five were wounded in the Cajibío attack, though official counts varied among reporting agencies at the time of initial reports.