18 May 2017 | 03:29 PM UTC
Colombia: Possible paramilitary terrorist threat in cities
According to leaked police memo, AGC paramilitary group may be planning bombing attacks in large cities
Event
According to a police memo reportedly leaked to a Colombian media outlet, the country’s largest paramilitary and drug trafficking group - the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AGC) - could be planning to carry out terrorist attacks in major Colombian cities, including Bogotá and Medellín. According to the memo, the group could perpetrate bombings or assassinations, likely targeting political or police/military targets. The group has been stepping up attacks against civilians, security forces, and leftist guerrilla groups (ELN and the FARC) in rural areas in recent months, notably since a peace deal was reached between the Colombian government and the FARC; the AGC is attempting to claim territory being vacated by demobilizing rebels, much of which is in areas with little to no state control and thus prime turf for criminal groups.
It is unclear how real this threat is.
Context
Paramilitary crime organizations (BACRIM) have replaced leftist guerrillas as the most serious armed threat in Colombia today. There are currently some 15 paramilitary groups operating in 22 of Colombia's 32 departments. These groups are involved in a variety of illicit activities, including drug-trafficking, smuggling, illegal mining, extortion, and assassinations. These BACRIM groups - such as the AGC (also known as Los Urabeños or the Gulf Clan), which is believed to have 8000 members - have begun expanding into territories vacated by the FARC, leading to a rise in violence, including assassinations of local landowners and community leaders. The government has pledged to increase the presence of security forces in these areas, but the deployment has been slow.
Advice
Individuals in Colombia are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the relevant authorities. Due to the presence of these armed groups many Western governments advise against travel to various regions of the country (particularly rural zones), with the notable exceptions of the northern Caribbean regions and central areas (including Bogotá).
