According to reports reaching Africa Today News, New York, no fewer than seven police officers have been a victim of an explosion and gunfire incident which erupted in Colombia.
It was gathered that their car slammed a road mine while it was departing a social gathering in Huila’s southwestern department, resulting in an explosion that claimed their lives.
According to a police spokesman, these policemen were shot dead following the ambush on their car.
Since Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla, became Colombia’s first left-wing president less than a month ago, this attack on security personnel is the deadliest to have ever occurred in recent times.
The police pickup truck was surrounded by corpses, according to photos obtained by the newspaper El Tiempo.
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Originally, eight fatalities were recorded; however, the authorities later reduced the figure to seven fatalities and one injury.
The national police and attorney general’s office reported that three of the murdered cops were 20 years of age or younger.
In a tweet, Mr. Petro denounced the action and called it ‘a clear act of sabotage against peace.’
He arrived in Neiva, the provincial capital, late on Friday to attend a security conference.
Although no one has claimed responsibility for the incident, Colombia’s Blu Radio blamed local rebel factions.
Security officials have also claimed that the region is home to ex-members of the Farc, a now-defunct communist guerrilla organization.
Mr. Pedro was elected on a radical agenda that included free higher education, pension reforms, and heavy taxes on idle land. This was a shift for Colombia, which had only ever supported conservative presidents.
Additionally, he promised to completely implement the 2016 peace accord that brought an end to a 50-year war with the Farc and would try to negotiate with the still-active National Liberation Army (ELN), which is generally recognized as the last organized guerrilla organisation currently active in Colombia.