Following a bomb explosion in the village of Iscuandé that killed one child and injured at least eight, alleged FARC guerrillas carried out a mortar attack on El Charco, injuring at least 15 people including two local government officials.
The child died in the first attack that took place around 3PM. According to local media, the fatal victim was a boy who was carrying an explosive that went off near the local police post. Three of the boy’s friends and at least five bystanders were injured in the explosion. Two of the injured were in critical condition on Monday evening.
According to an anonymous police source of French press agency AFP, there is only fragmented information coming from the remote village.
In El Charco, a village ten miles from the first attack, 15 people were injured when alleged FARC rebels fired a rocket propelled grenade at the village. Among those injured in the attack were the local health secretary and one of the mayor’s bodyguards. According to the mayor, the mortar was meant for him. “I was on the square when they launched the grenade that was directed at me. Luckily the grenade changed course, but exploded against the municipality’s church,” he told reporters.
Local media registered three other FARC attacks, one in Tolima, one in Huila and one in Cauca less than 24 hours before the two attacks in Nariño.
Two soldiers died when stepping on a landmine in the central Tolima department Monday morning.