Panama Condemns Attack on Police Command in Colombia

The Government of the Republic of Panama expressed its most energetic condemnation and strongest condemnation regarding the assault perpetrated against the police command in the department of Norte de Santander, República de Colombia, which left several members of the Fuerza Pública injured. Through an official communique issued by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Panamanian authorities conveyed full support and solidarity to the Government and the people of Colombia, paying special tribute to the men and women of the security bodies who work daily for the protection of citizens and the preservation of democratic order.

The diplomatic response from Panama arrived as officials in Colombia managed the immediate aftermath of the complex offensive. The Executive made wishes for a prompt and complete recovery of the injured uniformed personnel and manifested its closeness and backing to their families and to the entire police institution in this moment of difficulty. The pronouncement reiterated Panama’s firm rejection and refusal of all manifestations of terrorism and violence, underscoring that these acts have no place in democratic societies and must be faced through cooperation between States, the strengthening of the rule of law, and a shared commitment to peace and security. The executive branch also reaffirmed the deep ties of friendship, solidarity, and cooperation that unite Panama and Colombia, expressing the accompaniment of the Panamanian people to the neighboring country in the face of this situation.

Explosives and Gunfire Strike the Tasajero Police Base

According to reports from Colombian authorities, the attack began with the explosion of a car bomb a few meters from the police command. Subsequently, 16 explosive devices were launched and armed men fired bursts of rifle fire against the units located in the rear part of the complex. During the aggression, a fire also broke out in the middle of the confrontation while security forces responded to the attack. The preliminary balance indicated that seven uniformed personnel were initially reported gravely injured and transferred to healthcare centers, alongside an unprecised number of civilian casualties.

The authorities made known the identity of the eight members of the Policía Nacional who resulted injured during the terrorist attack with explosives perpetrated against the police command located in the Tasajero neighborhood in Norte de Santander, where a police officer inspected the site of the terrorist attack this Saturday in Cúcuta, Colombia, according to EFE/Mario Caicedo. The uniformed officer who suffered the injuries of greatest severity was auxiliary police officer Richard Javier Rúa Balaguera, who had to be surgically intervened due to the complexity of his wounds.

Among the injured is also auxiliary Diver José Vergara Guerra, who presented burns in different parts of the body, as well as patrol officer Billy Walner Molina Peláez, affected by shrapnel after the explosion. The list of injured personnel is completed by patrol officers Diego Alexander Claro Clavijo, Francisco Javier Velásquez Barrera, Carol Dayana Abril Linares, Duván Hernando Covilla Blanco, and Marta Jimena Sepúlveda Sepúlveda, who suffered injuries caused by the detonation. All the uniformed personnel were transferred to the Clínica Medical Duarte, where they receive medical attention and remain under observation. The atentado also left three civilians injured, although up to the moment the authorities have not revealed their identities nor have they informed about their state of health. Additionally, the elected president Abelardo De La Espriella rejected the terrorist attack, condemning the car bomb atentado in Cúcuta.

Institutional Response and Recompense in Norte de Santander

Top security officials traveled directly to the site to manage the emergency response. At this hour, the governor of Norte de Santander is advancing the evaluation of the facts and articulating actions with the authorities regarding this attack. The mandatary is found in the place where the atentado occurred alongside the general director of the National Police, General William Rincón, and the commander of the Norte de Santander Police Department, Colonel Jorge Andrés Bernal Granada, with the purpose of coordinating the institutional response to what happened, according to a photo taken from the X social network of the Governor of Norte de Santander.

To accelerate the capture of those responsible, the Gobernación de Norte de Santander announced a reward of up to 100 million Colombian pesos (about 32 thousand dollars) for those who supply information that leads to the capture of the responsible parties. George Quintero, the secretary of Citizen Security of the department, attributed the attack to the Ejército de Liberación Nacional.