VALDIVIA: A Colombian soldier was killed and two others wounded after an explosive device attached to a donkey detonated in the northwest Antioquia department.
The attack was blamed on the National Liberation Army (ELN), a guerrilla group engaged in suspended peace talks with the government.
Antioquia governor Andres Julian Rendon confirmed the incident on social media, stating that the rebels used “an equine loaded with explosives” sent toward a military platoon.
The attack underscores escalating violence in Colombia despite President Gustavo Petro’s push for “total peace” since taking office in 2022.
Peace negotiations with the ELN stalled in January following deadly raids near Venezuela’s border, which left over 100 dead.
Since then, the group has intensified assaults on security forces. Colombia, though stabilized by the 2016 disarmament of the FARC rebels, still faces threats from armed factions battling for control of drug trafficking, illegal mining, and smuggling routes.
Analysts note that under Petro’s administration, cocaine-funded militias have strengthened, complicating efforts to curb violence in rural regions. – AFP
