5 soldiers killed in bomb attack in southwestern Colombia

Attack targets soldiers working on repair of bridge in Cauca region, leaving 6 others wounded

By Sinan Dogan and Zehra Nur Celik

BOGOTA/ANKARA (AA) - A bomb attack in southwestern Colombia has left five soldiers dead and six others wounded, according to local media reports.

The attack targeted soldiers working on the repair of a bridge in the town of Balboa, located in the Cauca region.

Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.

Authorities have held the Carlos Patino group, affiliated with the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), the umbrella organization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), responsible for the attack.

The EMC, led by Nestor Gregorio Vera, also known as "Ivan Mordisco," never participated in the peace agreement between FARC and the state.

The EMC has over 3,500 members, including 2,180 armed militants.

The group finances itself through drug trafficking, smuggling, and extortion in Colombia’s western, central, and eastern regions, as well as in Venezuela and Ecuador.

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