The Colombian military announced on Wednesday that they had effectively put an end to the activities of five members of a militant faction linked to a catastrophic bus bombing. This attack tragically claimed the lives of 20 civilians and left 45 others wounded.
According to a statement from Colombia’s Military Forces, the individuals were part of the “Estructura Jaime Martínez,” a notorious organized armed group.
Authorities allege that beyond the bombing in the Cajibío municipality, this group was involved in criminal acts such as vehicle thefts on the Pan-American Highway and the reckless use of drone technology to deploy explosives.
Officials released a video depicting an array of weapons laid out on a table, which emphasized the gravity of the situation. (@FuerzasMilCol/X)
The video accompanying the military’s statement also showed body bags arranged in front of a helicopter, alongside a large cache of confiscated weapons.
The military retaliation followed an April 26 terror attack, when an explosive device detonated on a passenger bus traveling along the Pan-American Highway in the volatile Cauca region.
The blast killed 15 women and five men, according to a report from The Associated Press.
Colombian troops neutralized five suspected members of the residual organized armed group Estructura Jaime Martínez. (@FuerzasMilCol/X)
While initial local reports said 36 people were injured, including several children, the Colombian military’s recent update noted that 45 civilians were wounded in the explosion.
Gen. Hugo López, commander of Colombia’s armed forces, quickly condemned the bus bombing as a “terrorist act.”
He attributed the attack to dissident factions of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), specifically pointing to the Jaime Martínez faction and the network of “Iván Mordisco,” one of the country’s most wanted figures.
The U.N. high commissioner for human rights previously urged authorities to “guarantee justice for the victims.”
Officials said the suspects were accused of killing 20 people and injuring dozens more in an April terror attack. (@FuerzasMilCol/X)
Southwestern Colombia has become a battleground for illegal armed groups vying for control over coca leaf cultivation areas and crucial drug trafficking routes leading to Central America and Europe.
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