Terror Attacks Rock Southwest Colombia, Killing Seven and Injuring Dozens in Coordinated Assaults

Police officers work at the site where a bus exploded in front of a police station in Villa Rica, Cauca department, Colombia, on June 10

A coordinated wave of explosions struck southwest Colombia early Tuesday, killing at least seven people and injuring 28 others in a series of attacks that authorities believe were directed at the country’s police forces.

The blasts hit multiple locations, including Cali—Colombia’s third-largest city—and several towns in the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca. The Colombian National Army stated that police were the “direct target” of what it described as deliberate and sustained assaults.

A bus that exploded next to a police station sits on a road in Villa Rica, Cauca Valley, Colombia, Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Authorities reported over 20 coordinated “terrorist attacks” during the day, involving car bombs, shootings, and explosive devices launched at security forces. Among the dead were at least two police officers, while the injured included a mix of civilians, police, and military personnel.

The attacks have been tentatively linked to the guerrilla group Estado Mayor Central, a dissident faction that split from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after the historic 2016 peace agreement. Although the group has not claimed responsibility, the army stated it had intelligence implicating its leadership. In a separate statement, the group accused the government of betraying the peace process and issued civilian safety advisories.

A soldier walks past the body of a man covered in plastic, right, and his charred motorcycle, after the person was killed by a bomb that exploded in Guachinte, Cauca Valley, Colombia, Tuesday, June 10, 2025

In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder confirmed that three explosive devices detonated on Tuesday, striking areas including the Los Mangos neighborhood, the Meléndez police station, and the Manuela Beltrán Immediate Attention Center (CAI), a police substation. Eder later assured the public that the situation was under control and deployed additional security forces throughout the city.

“They want us to go back to 1989—we won’t allow for it!” Eder said, referencing the era of narco-violence and political assassinations that plagued Colombia in the late 20th century.

Videos captured in the aftermath showed burning vehicles, wreckage strewn across city streets, and residents gathering near the blast sites as emergency sirens echoed through Cali’s downtown. In total, the Ministry of Defense reported that six additional attacks were prevented, and two individuals were apprehended while preparing explosive devices.

A body lies in the street, covered by a sheet, after a bomb explosion in Cali, Colombia, Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Security experts say the attacks reflect mounting pressure by armed criminal organizations on the government. Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, noted that the attackers appear to be attempting to force negotiations or political concessions by escalating urban violence.

Dilian Francisca Toro, governor of Valle del Cauca, called on President Gustavo Petro to immediately convene the country’s Security Council in response to what she described as an alarming rise in terrorism. “This level of escalation must be addressed with unified national action,” she said.

Elizabeth Dickinson, Senior Analyst with the International Crisis Group, highlighted the strategic nature of the Cali attacks, pointing out that targeting an economic and cultural hub represents an attempt to expand guerrilla influence beyond rural territories.

The body of Jose Carabali Galeano is covered in his living room, as his relatives look on, after a bomb exploded in Guachinte, Cauca Valley, Colombia, Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Vice President Francia Márquez Mina also denounced the attacks, calling the violence “unacceptable.”

“I categorically reject the wave of violence that has erupted in Cali and northern Cauca. It’s unacceptable to instill fear in the people and then offer security,” she said. “As a national government, we must redouble our efforts to restore public order and guarantee the security and peace of mind of the Colombian people.”

The coordinated attacks occurred just days after a separate act of political violence rocked the country. Miguel Uribe Turbay, a prominent presidential candidate, was critically injured in a shooting during a campaign rally. Authorities have arrested a 15-year-old on attempted murder charges, and President Petro has requested U.S. assistance in the investigation, claiming the weapon used was purchased in Arizona.

Tuesday’s violence marks one of the deadliest days in Colombia this year, threatening the fragile stability the country has tried to maintain since the FARC peace accord. The use of large-scale urban violence and targeted bombings suggests a dangerous evolution in tactics by armed groups still operating outside the state’s control.