Members of the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group attacked the facilities of the 6th Mechanized Infantry Battalion “Cartagena,” located in the urban area of Riohacha, La Guajira, in northern Colombia, with explosive devices. The attack was carried out using improvised launch ramps mounted on a Ford 350 truck with license plate NUX 148, which was parked near the military garrison.
The attack injured twelve soldiers and caused traffic restrictions on the Troncal del Caribe highway. Local authorities ordered the closure of nearby campuses of the University of La Guajira and the National Learning Service (SENA) as a precautionary measure following the explosion.
Background and electoral context
The ELN perpetrated the attack just three days before the first round of the presidential elections scheduled for Sunday, May 31. The previous week, the ELN’s Central Command had issued a statement declaring a three-day unilateral ceasefire for the elections, set to begin Saturday, May 30.
However, conflict analysts have pointed out that, in previous ceasefires, the insurgent group has seen spikes in violence in the days leading up to the implementation of its political commitments in order to demonstrate territorial control in border regions.
Details of the attack and the troop’s health status
The attack occurred in the early morning hours when members of the armed group detonated explosives that struck the perimeter of the military base, destroying part of the main facade and damaging troop quarters. According to the official report from the First Division of the National Army, the explosions injured two non-commissioned officers, seven professional soldiers, and three enlisted personnel who were on guard duty.
Hospital reports at midday confirmed that nine of the injured soldiers had already been discharged after being treated for minor shrapnel wounds and acoustic trauma, while the remaining three are under close medical observation, stable, and out of danger.
The shockwave from the attack caused material damage to the military infrastructure and affected the windows and roofs of several family homes in the residential area across from the unit.
Due to the severity of the explosion and the discovery of the vehicle equipped with the launching devices, bomb disposal experts from the judicial authorities inspected the section of road connecting the departmental capital with the municipality of Maicao to secure the vehicle and rule out the presence of additional explosives. This resulted in the paralysis of intercity transportation during the early morning hours.
Official positions and security in the region
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the attack, calling it a crime against humanity and a sign of weakness on the part of the insurgency. He stated that terrorism was a cowardly act by the ELN, maintaining that the attack was a response to the significant blows the security forces have dealt to the group in the north of the country.
The minister also announced a reward of up to 200 million pesos for information leading to the capture of those responsible for the attack.
For his part, the Attorney General of Colombia, Gregorio Eljach, condemned the attack, denouncing the ELN’s flagrant violation of human rights by endangering the civilian population, and demanded swift action from judicial authorities in the investigation process. Given the severity of the attack, regional military commanders ordered the immediate deployment of ground troops and the commencement of search and control operations along the peninsula’s corridors to neutralize the responsible groups and ensure the smooth running of the elections under Plan Democracy.