A suspected guerrilla attack on a helicopter in southwest Colombia has left at least six dead, including four police officers, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
The attack took place in the town of Caloto, Cauca, where the Colombian army and FARC guerrillas have been fighting heavily over the past month.
Authorities have not confirmed if the attack was carried out by guerrillas or other armed groups, but several local media say this is “likely” and an article in newspaper El Espectador states that “preliminary versions indicate” that the FARC’s 6th Front was responsible.
The attack occurred as the helicopter was preparing to land in a soccer field in Caloto late Tuesday morning, at which point the police patrol dispatched to escort the money was fired upon.
According to the preliminary reports from the authorities, the objective of the attackers was to seize a remittance of money that was being transported by a security company, via helicopter, to the agency Banco Agrario in the area.
According to an article in newspaper El Pais, General Orlando Pineda, regional police chief, said that the victims include the Caloto Station Commander and subcommander.
The identities of the two civilians have not yet been verified, but, according to this same article, they included an employee from the Banco Agrario and a woman.
The Cauca Police Commander Carlos Restrepo has been dispatched to the area, reported newspaper El Tiempo.