Two children died in south-west Colombia after bombs they were paid to deliver to a local police station exploded early, Colombian media reported on Thursday.
The ongoing attacks by guerrilla forces against police in the state of Nariño, in Colombia’s south-west reached new level, with police alleging that two children were being used to transport the bombs to Chilvi police station, near to the violence-wracked Pacific port town of Tumaco.
Official sources within Nariño Police told Colombia Reports that the two boys were aged 13 and 14 with one being killed by the Wednesday explosion and the other dying from his wounds in hospital early on Thursday morning.
MORE: Children are main victims of Colombia’s armed conflict: Report
Commander of Nariño Police, General Ramiro Mena has attributed the paying of the boys to the Daniel Aldana column of the western bloc of guerrilla group FARC who are prevalent in the area and have an ongoing campaign of violence against local police forces, according to Caracol Radio.
Sadly this isn’t the first time children have been used as means to deposit bombs. In 2010 a child was made to deliver a parcel bomb in El Charco, Nariño which tragically exploded as he carried it, killing him and injuring many.
At the time of the attack, a group of policemen were out behind the station playing football meaning the explosion ended up not only killing the two children but also injuring eight policemen.
Colombia’s Prosecutor General’s Office last year released a report claiming the use of children by the FARC, either through direct recruitment or manipulation for certain gain has been an ongoing problem throughout the armed conflict.
MORE: FARC systematically recruits child soldiers: Study
Investigations into the event are ongoing but the Commander of Nariño Police has stated that the case will be reported to international humanitarian bodies as it marks a violation of human rights.
Tumaco, Nariño
Sources
- Interview with Nariño Police (Colombia Reports)
- Las FARC usaron ‘niños bomba’ en Tumaco (Semana)
- Condenan muerte de dos niños usados por Farc para lanzar granada en Nariño (Caracol Radio)
