Kolumbien

A wave of explosions has rocked southern Colombia, killing one and injuring dozens in the city of Cali. Authorities said there were also attacks on police posts in nearby towns. … While it remains unclear who carried out the apparently coordinated attacks, guerrilla groups that split from the once-powerful FARC militia are known to be active in the area.

[…] The government of left-wing President Gustavo Petro said it "categorically" condemned the attack as an "act of violence not only against his person, but also against democracy". 

Colombia’s government and two FARC dissident groups agreed to create at least three temporary locations for guerrillas who wish to take part in demobilization, disarmament and reintegration programs.

Colombia has joined the long list of Latin American countries that have signed up to China's key infrastructure initiative. The move comes after a Beijing summit of leaders from the region.

Illegal armed groups have forcibly recruited at least 1,494 minors in Colombia since the signing of a peace deal between the government and guerrilla organization FARC in 2016, according to the prosecution of war crimes tribunal JEP. In a report, the JEP’s Investigation and Accusation Unit (UIA) made it clear that the peace process that followed the accord in November 2016 failed to effectively protected children and minors.

The Colombian government says 15 police officers and 12 soldiers have been killed over the past two weeks in targeted attacks it blames on armed groups.

Colombia must harmonize peace policies and security policies, the UN Special Representative for the country told the Security Council on Tuesday. Carlos Ruiz Massieu said an upsurge in violence in some regions has highlighted challenges to achieving peace. … The re-integration of former FARC combatants remains a priority, he said. More than 12,000 have laid down their arms and the majority are actively involved in the reintegration process.

Colombia’s national government ended a bilateral ceasefire with guerrilla group EMBF and immediately ordered a month-long suspension of military attacks. The two decrees appear to add pressure on government and guerrilla representatives who have been formally negotiating peace since October of 2023.

The Colombian government will suspend a ceasefire with a faction of what was once the armed Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group, it said on Thursday, though it said the decision did not imply the end of peace talks with the group.

The mayor of Cúcuta imposed a 48-hour curfew on the population of 1 million inhabitants in the hope of regaining control of the city after combatants of Colombia’s largest armed group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), attacked police stations with assault rifles and grenades and destroyed toll booths with car bombs.