Guerrilla dissident group claims wave of Colombian attacks
A Colombian armed group comprised of ex-guerrillas who rejected a 2016 peace deal, claimed responsibility Friday for a wave of bomb and shooting attacks that killed seven people this week.
Two police officers and five civilians died and 28 people were injured in the attacks on Tuesday in the country's southwest.
On Friday, in a video sent to a journalists' chat, a man describing himself as commander Marlon Vasquez claimed responsibility on behalf the so-called Central General Staff (EMC).
Dressed in camouflage and surrounded by guerrillas with rifles, he said the attacks came "in the midst of the commemoration of the 61 years of struggle" of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), founded in June 1964.
The FARC -- the country's biggest rebel group -- signed a deal with the government in 2016 and laid down its arms.
But some groups rejected the demobilization process and regrouped in two structures: Segunda Marquetalia and the EMC, the biggest of the dissident groups.
Colombia is experiencing its biggest security crisis in a decade.
On Tuesday, the country was rocked by a string of coordinated attacks across the southwest, where government forces are fighting FARC dissidents.
Authorities reported 24 attacks, but the EMC said there were 40.
The group meanwhile denied any involvement in the shooting on Saturday of presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe, who remains in a critical condition.
His alleged shooter, a 15-year-old, and a man alleged to have been involved in the "logistics" of the attack, are under arrest.
als/das/mlr/nl
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why they protest: Voices from the downtown L.A. ICE demonstrations
During a week of protest, Los Angeles is the center stage of the national immigration debate, with pundits on both sides characterizing the fight through the lens of their respective viewpoints. Not everyone is pleased with the actions — there has been vandalism, destruction and injuries — isolated yet striking moments that have at times overshadowed peaceful demonstrations. But for many out in the demonstrations, there was a message that they wanted to be heard. During these demonstrations, Los Angeles Times reporters on the ground have interviewed protesters and asked them why they're demonstrating. Here's what they had to say: Read more: The 'Mexican Beverly Hills' reels from Trump immigration raids, forcing some to carry passports Alejandra Flores attended a protest in front of Westin LAX Friday with her daughter and her mother, who had recently become a U.S. citizen. "I have three generations of family here. We came for my family members who can't come out. We're able to speak out for them." Maritza Perez Huerta attended her first protest this week. She couldn't make it out to protests a couple of years ago because she was younger and her mother was afraid. "Now that I'm 23, I want to fight for something that I didn't fight for before, especially since this is part of me. I'm first gen." Priscilla Ramos spent her first day of protesting in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center this week, where Marines were expected to arrive. "I personally have close friends who have been impacted [by] their fear for their parents' lives, and they themselves have had to increase the amount of hours that they work just solely so their parents can stay home and not be out in the community ... I'm hear in solidarity with my friends." Cynthia Guardano was born in the United States in a mixed-status family. She was downtown demonstrating on Friday. "My parents are migrants from El Salvador, and so it's really personal to me, because it's U.S. imperialism that impacted our community. ... No one chooses to leave their home. No one willingly wants to leave." Jason Petty, a 46-year-old musician from Boyle Heights, told The Times he went to a rally because 'this is our community — immigration is us.' Petty, a former ninth-grade history teacher, said he was born and raised in Los Angeles and was here during the 1992 riots. He is Black, and his grandmother lived in Watts during the 1965 Watts riots. His father was a Black Panther. Petty said he has a daughter in fourth grade and that immigration agents recently came to the neighborhood near her school. He said he has had to have difficult conversations with her, assuring her she's safe, and why it was important to go to the rally. 'You don't have to worry about it, but mommy and daddy are sticking up for your friends.' Outside City Hall in Santa Ana this week, Alicia Rojas observed a protest from afar. The Colombian native had her amnesty application denied as a child. Now a U.S. citizen, Rojas grew up during the era of Proposition 187 and remembered all the racism against people like her at the time. "I feel rage inside, but this is the healthiest thing to do. More than anything. I'm here to look after the kids." Read more: MacArthur Park goes quiet amid ICE sweeps. 'They're targeting people that look like me' Michelle Hernandez, 19, marched at the federal building with a Mexican flag draped over her shoulders. A daughter of Mexican immigrants, she said she had been worried about family members and friends during the ICE raids. "[I want] to be a voice for those who cannot speak." Franchesca Olivas drove two hours alone from Hemet to attend the anti-ICE demonstration this week outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles. She was carrying an upside-down American flag attached to the Mexican flag because she's half-white and half-Mexican. "I have my American flag upside down because we are in distress. We're gonna take that flag back." Aaron Fontan, 24, said he also has participated in Black Lives Matter protests and felt familiar police pushback and militance this time around. However, he felt that not as many people are willing to show up to anti-ICE protests. "Being in L.A., where such historical protests have begun, we had the Chicano movement here, the Rodney King riots. That's what shapes the community, that's what shapes policies here." Beyond the protests, some civic leaders have also voiced their opposition to the escalation in immigration enforcement. Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Alberto Carvalho, the son of immigrants, has been outspoken about his mission to protect students: 'I've spoken with parents who've told me that their daughter would be the first in their family to graduate high school, and they're not going to be there to witness it, because they have a fear of the place of graduation being targeted. What nation are we becoming?' Service Employees International Union California President David Huerta was injured and detained while documenting an immigration enforcement raid in downtown L.A. last week. 'This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that's happening. Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice.' Times staff writers Christopher Buchanan and Annie Goodykoontz contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Guerrilla dissident group claims wave of Colombian attacks
A Colombian armed group comprised of ex-guerrillas who rejected a 2016 peace deal, claimed responsibility Friday for a wave of bomb and shooting attacks that killed seven people this week. Two police officers and five civilians died and 28 people were injured in the attacks on Tuesday in the country's southwest. On Friday, in a video sent to a journalists' chat, a man describing himself as commander Marlon Vasquez claimed responsibility on behalf the so-called Central General Staff (EMC). Dressed in camouflage and surrounded by guerrillas with rifles, he said the attacks came "in the midst of the commemoration of the 61 years of struggle" of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), founded in June 1964. The FARC -- the country's biggest rebel group -- signed a deal with the government in 2016 and laid down its arms. But some groups rejected the demobilization process and regrouped in two structures: Segunda Marquetalia and the EMC, the biggest of the dissident groups. Colombia is experiencing its biggest security crisis in a decade. On Tuesday, the country was rocked by a string of coordinated attacks across the southwest, where government forces are fighting FARC dissidents. Authorities reported 24 attacks, but the EMC said there were 40. The group meanwhile denied any involvement in the shooting on Saturday of presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe, who remains in a critical condition. His alleged shooter, a 15-year-old, and a man alleged to have been involved in the "logistics" of the attack, are under arrest. als/das/mlr/nl
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Homeland Security reveals identities of the 4 ‘public safety threats' who escaped Newark ICE facility
The Department of Homeland Security has revealed the identities of the four migrants who escaped a Newark ICE facility on Thursday night, identifying all four as "public safety threats" who are still at large. The agency is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the four migrants who broke out of Delaney Hall, a privately run ICE detention facility on Thursday night, amid chaotic scenes both inside and outside the facility. According to DHS, "the four criminal illegal aliens currently evading federal law enforcement are public safety threats." DHS identified the four escaped migrants as Honduran illegals Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes and Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez and Colombian illegals Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada and Andres Pineda-Mogollon, each of whom has previously been arrested for felony offenses including aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a handgun and terroristic threats. Returned Salvadoran Migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia Arraigned On Federal Human Trafficking Charges In Tennessee Bautista-Reyes illegally entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Biden administration and was arrested by the Wayne Township, New Jersey, Police Department on May 3 for aggravated assault, attempt to cause bodily injury, terroristic threats, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes. Read On The Fox News App Sandoval-Lopez illegally entered the U.S. as a minor in 2019 and was arrested by the Passaic Police Department in October for unlawful possession of a handgun and again on February 15 for aggravated assault. Castaneda-Lozada entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was arrested by the Hammonton Police Department on May 15 for burglary, theft and conspiracy to commit burglary. Pineda-Mogollon entered the U.S. in 2023 and overstayed his tourist visa. He was arrested by the New York City Police Department on April 25 for larceny and again on May 21 by the Union, New Jersey, Police Department for residential burglary, conspiracy to commit residential burglary and possession of burglary tools. Ice Officers Assaulted During Raid That Nabbed 70 Illegal Immigrants At Meat Plant: Dhs Immigration attorney Mustafa Cetin told that around 50 detainees at the private facility pushed down a dormitory wall after becoming agitated when meals were delayed. "It's about the food, and some of the detainees were getting aggressive and it turned violent," Cetin said. He added that his client reported the wall was "not very strong" and described detainees hanging bedsheets in what may have been an escape attempt. The client also said he smelled gas during the incident. By 6 p.m., dozens of officers from the Essex County Sheriff's Office and Newark Police were present, according to Rutgers University-Newark professor Whitney Strub, who posted images of the police presence and said he and others outside the jail "were all coughing at the same time," after being exposed to what they believed was "some kind of gas," reported. Democrat Accuses Trump Of Unleashing 'Campaign Of Terror' On Illegals As La Riots Rage At approximately 9 p.m., a group of protesters blocked an SUV from exiting an ancillary gate at Delaney Hall, forcing it to back into the facility. PIX11 News reported that the escapees were seen running near Turnpike 78 and Delancey Street. DHS contested reporting that there had been widespread unrest at the facility, saying "this privately held facility remains dedicated to providing high-quality services, including around-the-clock access to medical care, in-person and virtual legal and family visitation, general and legal library access, translation services, dietician-approved meals, religious and specialty diets, recreational amenities, and opportunities to practice their religious beliefs." In a Friday statement, a senior DHS official said that "DHS has become aware of four detainees at the privately held Delaney Hall Detention Facility escaping" and that "additional law enforcement partners have been brought in to find these escapees and a BOLO has been disseminated." The senior official encouraged the public to call emergency services or the ICE tip line with any relevant information on the four article source: Homeland Security reveals identities of the 4 'public safety threats' who escaped Newark ICE facility
