Grenade attack on home of Cordoba mayor

Unknown assailants attacked the house of the mayor of Tierralta, a town in the northern Colombian department of Cordoba, with a hand grenade on Friday. No injuries were caused by the assault, reports W Radio.

The town’s mayor, Anibal Ortiz, told W Radio that, fortunately for him and his family, the grenade landed and exploded on the roof, causing damage to the house but no injuries.

Ortiz blamed the attack on neo-paramilitary groups in the region, which have been sending the mayor death threats.

Following the attack, local police reported the capture of two men who they believe were involved in the incident.

Tierralta is located in the southern part of the northern department of Cordoba, and has been plagued by paramilitary violence in the past.

In October of 2009, 60 families from the area were forced to flee their homes following brutal confrontations between two drug trafficking paramilitary gangs.

And in June of 2009, residents reported on more than 400 crimes committed by the now-demobilized paramilitary group the AUC, in Tierralta and the nearby town of Valencia.

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