Explosions in southwestern Colombia target police, kill 2

Two seperate bombings in the western department of Nariño killed two people and injured 21, reported local media.

The first explosion occurred in the town of Sandona outside of the local police station, wounding two officers and three civilians. The blast damaged nearby buildings and forced police to cordon off the area. Authorities blamed the attack on leftist guerrilla group, the FARC.

The second explosion took place hours later in the town of Tuquerres near the border with Ecuador. A local resident told RCN Radio that a minor smuggled an explosive device in a fruit cart to get close to the town’s police station. The detonation killed two people and injured several more.

In an interview with Radio Santa Fe, Nariño’s governor, Raul Delgado Guerrero, called on the federal government to help improve the region’s fragile security situation. The governor warned that because of his department’s proximity to the Pacific coast and international drug trafficking routes, Nariño has become the largest producer of coca in Colombia, making it fertile ground for illegal armed groups involved in the cocaine trade.

Delgado will hold a meeting with officials to discuss security measures in the department at 5PM Friday.

Police continue their search for those repsonible for the fatal attacks.

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