Alleged guerrillas of the FARC Tuesday attacked a town in the southwest of Colombia, killing at least three policemen and injuring three civilians.
According to several media reports, attacks began Tuesday evening in the town of Jambalo, Cauca where explosives were set off near the local police station and armed guerrillas entered the town fighting the local police force.
Three policemen were killed in the attack that, according to regional police commander Orlando Pineda Gomez, involved a car bomb.
“The situation is very complicated, very hard, and the worst is that we are without electricity as two power stations were damaged by the explosions that also damaged many houses I am told,” the mayor of Jambalo told Caracol Radio.
According to the radio station, the population of the town was forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in a nearby shelter specially created for guerrilla attacks.
Newspaper El Espectador reported Wednesday morning that the air force is offering support to ground troops to push the guerrillas away from the town.
Jambalo is one of a number of towns in the north of the Cauca department that frequently suffer guerrilla attacks. The department is the country’s most affected by fighting between guerrillas, drug gangs and security forces.
On Monday, Colombia’s defense minister decided to form a second High Mountain Battalion for the Cauca department aimed to reduce the strength of the FARC in the region and prevent attacks on towns like Jambalo.