Gunmen attacked Convención Police Station, Norte de Santander

The department's police commander, Colonel Carlos Martínez, reported that, for now, the only ones injured are suspected terrorists

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Foto de archivo. Guerrilleros del
Foto de archivo. Guerrilleros del Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) caminan por la selva en el departamento de Antioquia, Colombia, 30 de mayo, 2004.. REUTERS/Albeiro Lopera

On the night of this Wednesday, March 30, there was a new attack against the security forces in Norte de Santander. Gunmen attacked the police station in the municipality of Convención with gunfire and explosives.

According to Semana magazine, a group of subversives launched an attack on the uniformed members of the station by firing with rifles. In response to the attack, the police opened fire on the alleged guerrillas.

According to the commander of the Norte de Santander Police, the attack, which lasted around 30 minutes, left no uniformed personnel injured. However, the first reports would indicate that some subversives would have been injured.

The colonel also reported that, after the events, together with the National Army, they are carrying out search operations to find the whereabouts of the alleged guerrillas. Although at the moment they do not know which group would be the perpetrator of the harassment, the first hypotheses would point to dissidents of the FARC or members of the National Liberation Army (ELN).

“In the police reaction, several subversives would have been injured, we are carrying out different operations to locate them,” the official told RCN Radio.

Next, Colonel Martínez announced that during the escape of the armed men “they forgot an improvised explosive device in the vicinity of the police station. Once again we see that these terrorists do not respect International Humanitarian Law.”

You can also read: Army thwarted two terrorist attacks in Norte de Santander

Despite the regrettable acts against the security forces, the commander of the Norte de Santander Police highlighted the timely response of uniformed personnel from the municipality of Convención.

“I want to acknowledge the brave police officers of the Convention, who give everything for the safety of Norte de Santander. Nothing will make us lose heart and convince us not to fulfill our duty to protect the community of Norte de Santander and Catatumbo,” said the official, as reported by Semana magazine.

For their part, the inhabitants of the municipality of Convención expressed their fear of this new violent act that puts the population at risk.

It should be recalled that this is not the first situation that puts the inhabitants and uniformed members of the municipality of Convención on alert in the last week. On the morning of Thursday, March 24, the municipal authorities reported the presence of a suspicious cash box in the vicinity of the Agrarian Bank and an educational institution.

The National Army later confirmed that it was a package of explosives, which they managed to defuse without any emergency. “The deactivation was controlled by our anti-explosive technicians in the Second Division.”

After the fact, the military institution assured that “it will continue to work against any threat that alters the tranquility and integrity of the inhabitants of this region.”

For now it is unknown which armed group would be behind the installation of the explosive ordnance. However, the first hypotheses of the authorities suggest that they would be members of the ELN.

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