Due to the critical security situation in Balboa, Cauca, especially in the rural areas of the municipality, the National Army decided to escort all the inhabitants who had to leave their homes to do daily activities. The accompaniment will be given, in a special way, to those who have to travel through isolated sections leading to the urban area, since that is where crimes have been most reported in recent days.
The measure was taken after holding a security council in which national and local authorities participated, in which it was agreed that they would increase the demand for force and, together with the Cauca Victim Care Unit, a census will be carried out in order to establish the effects on the civilian population by the armed incursions.
It should be remembered that violence in Balboa intensified at the end of Holy Week. Even in less than 24 hours and in isolated events, six people were killed.
The case with the greatest impact occurred on Sunday (April 17) on a road in the village of La Bermeja, attached to Balboa. The victims, whose identity has not been revealed, were found with multiple shots. So far it is only known that one of the violated persons is a woman of indigenous descent, probably a minor.
Preliminary information indicated that the events took place around 4:00 in the morning of Sunday, when the four young men, who were mobilizing some in a van and others on motorcycles, were approached by armed men. The criminals forced the victims to get out of their vehicles and shot them. They subsequently burned the means of transport.
“First it was the attack on a van, which they later burned after killing one of the occupants, after that, and something that is not very clear, three people were killed with a firearm and their motorcycles also burned,” said peasants who live in the area to the Virtual Periódico portal.
The same community was the one who reported on what happened, because they found the bodies and vehicles incinerated on the road. They detailed that they were all killed with shots of grace and showed signs of violence.
So far, the reasons for massacring the young people and those who would be behind it have not been confirmed. It is not ruled out that it was members of the dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who killed them.
It was mentioned that during that morning the Carlos Patiño structure of the FARC held a confrontation with the Second Marquetalia. It appears that the victims of the massacre were killed as a result of the altercation, however, this is not confirmed and no link has been established between young people and criminal groups.
It should be recalled that the Office of the Ombudsman had already issued an early warning of possible acts of disturbance of public order in Balboa due to the presence of illegal armed groups in the territory.
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