Colombian police: 6 killed in blast
By the CNN Wire Staff
updated 10:21 PM EST, Thu February 2, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: In response to another attack, president calls FARC rebels "hypocrites"
- NEW: A blast in Villa Rica, Colombia, kills 6 and injures dozens, police say
- Homes, stores and a hospital are badly damaged by the explosion
- The blast comes a day after a bomb kills 9 in a neighboring province
(CNN) -- Six people were killed in an explosion targeting a police station in southern Colombia Thursday, authorities said.
The blast in Villa Rica killed a police commander and five civilians, Cauca province Police Cmdr. Ricardo Alarcon told reporters. Dozens were injured.
A man who was eating lunch inside his home near the police station was among the casualties, CNN affiliate Caracol TV reported.
A car in front of the station fired gas cylinders packed with explosives Thursday afternoon, the affiliate said.
A government hospital next to the police station was badly damaged by the explosion, provincial health secretary Oscar Ospina Quintero said. Many of those injured were patients in the hospital.
"The bomb destroyed the emergency room and the maternity wing," Ospina said.
Authorities evacuated patients from parts of the hospital and relocated services to a nearby school, he said.
The blast also destroyed numerous homes and stores, Caracol reported.
Thursday's blast comes a day after a bomb exploded in neighboring Narino province, killing nine people and injuring more than 70, Caracol said.
Police were offering a reward of up to 100 million pesos ($56,000) for information leading to the capture of those behind Wednesday's attack in Tumaco, Narino.
Authorities stepped up security in the area, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on a visit to that province Thursday, noting that 300 additional police had arrived since the attack.
Santos condemned the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrilla group for the bombing.
"They have offered as a gesture of peace the liberation of hostages. They should do that. Of course, for humanitarian reasons, we are prepared to facilitate it. But they should not be hypocrites, talking about peace on the one hand and committing terrorist acts on the other," Santos said. "No one understands this double play, this double standard. The whole world rejects it and in addition it pushes away any possibility of peace."
The leftist rebels, known as the FARC, have been at war with the Colombian government since the 1960s. While severely weakened in recent years, the guerrilla group has continued to carry out kidnappings and attack security forces.
In December, the group had announced the planned release of six national police officers, but in a statement Wednesday they said the plan would be postponed because Colombian authorities had sent too many troops to the area where they planned to release the hostages.
CNN's Rafael Romo and Edwin Mesa contributed to this report.
Part of complete coverage on
updated 7:50 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
It's an outside-the-box solution, says Clyde Prestowitz, but the German government can save Greece by reissuing its beloved deutsche mark.
updated 5:33 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Images of slaughter in the Syrian town of Houla provoked outrage around the world, but sometimes outrage isn't enough to spur action, says Tim Lister.
updated 3:56 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Alleged poison attacks against students in Afghanistan show the fragility of the country's transition, says Gayle Lemmon.
updated 5:27 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Airport dining doesn't have to be terminal, as a new wave of eateries elevates cuisine above the level of greasy burgers and wilting sushi.
updated 7:10 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Andrew Keen says our self esteem is determined by our use of social media -- so let's embrace tech which lets data degenerate over time.
updated 7:27 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
Republican Graham Smith argues why the UK monarchy should be consigned to the history books.
CNN's Richard Quest rails against the censorious ratings warnings placed on inflight movies.
updated 12:06 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Queen Elizabeth was criticized for being aloof after Princess Diana's death in 1997. But one royal insider says that wasn't the case.
updated 5:45 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Businessman Christian Stadil believes firms must care about more than money and that corporate social responsibility helps attract talented workers.
updated 11:08 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
It's hard being a female busineswoman in a country where women need permission to work or travel. But some try.
updated 3:31 AM EDT, Mon May 28, 2012
How law enforcement agencies are readying themselves for this month's Euro 2012 soccer tournament.
updated 8:53 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
Adoptions from Africa have surged three-fold in eight years -- but campaigners fear that children from the continent are becoming commodities.
updated 7:17 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
He's been running all his life, running for freedom, running for peace. Now Reza Baluchi is heading for Mt. Everest by running across the Middle East.
updated 7:13 AM EDT, Tue May 29, 2012
An old meatpacking plant in Chicago is being transformed into an eco farm, which its founders say will produce food sustainably with zero waste.
Most popular stories right now
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|