Dissident FARC Guerrilla Group Faction Claims Responsibility for Pan-American Highway Bombing
COLOMBIA – A dissident FARC guerrilla group faction claimed responsibility for the Pan-American Highway bombing attack in Colombia that left 20 people dead on April 25, expressing regret for the incident.
In a statement released via social media, the dissident group explained that an explosive device intended for a military convoy detonated prematurely due to a handling error by one of their members. The blast occurred exactly as a line of public and private vehicles was passing through the sector, causing catastrophic damage and an immediate loss of life.
“A regrettable incident occurred that resulted in the death and injury of civilians who have no connection to the war,” the group stated. “Many of them were humble, well-known farmers who, for years, watched the fighters come and go as they built the nation.”
Despite claiming the deaths were “not premeditated,” the organization admitted the act was indefensible.
“We must take political responsibility for this tactical error, which is completely unjustifiable,” the statement read.
The Pan-American Highway is the primary artery for trade and travel in southwestern Colombia. The attack not only resulted in a high death toll but also brought regional transit to a complete standstill, cutting off essential supply lines.
The massacre in Cauca is part of a broader trend across rural Colombia. Recent reports indicate a sharp increase in violent incidents, including massacres and targeted attacks on civilians, as various armed factions compete for territorial control.
Nestor Gregorio Vera Fernandez, known by the alias “Ivan Mordisco,” is the commander of the largest faction of FARC dissidents that refused to sign the 2016 Peace Accord.
