A bomb was detonated in a marketplace on Monday that left no injuries, but caused damage to several buildings in the municipality of Corinto in Colombia’s southwest department of Cauca.
According to Cauca Police Chief Colonel Carlos Ernesto Rodriguez, the attack would have been executed by guerrillas of the FARC‘s Sixth Front who handle extortion missions against merchants, traders, and agricultural businessmen in the area.
“Here there are many businesses that have to pay immunities to the FARC, but when they don’t, they receive this type of retaliation,” said one member of the Corinto Fire Department.
The bomb was left inside a rubber bag and caused severe damage to 15 houses, five small barns, a soda fountain, and a supermarket, newspaper El Pais reported Monday.
“The blast was horrifying and blew through the air streetlights, energy networks, and lamps and mirrors of various trucks and vehicles that were parked in the area,” one witnessed described.