Second deadly blast hits Colombia

  • 12 years ago
PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

TV footage captures the aftermath of a second bomb attack on a Colombian police station in as many days.

At least six people including a child lost their lives in this blast targetting the police headquarters in the town of Villarica.

Several more have been wounded.

The rubble is what's left of the building.

The bombing on Thursday is being blamed on FARC rebels.

The finger is also being pointed at them for a blast a day earlier outside a police station in Tumaco.

Colombian authorities confirmed on Friday the number of dead in that attack had risen to 11, most of them civilians.

Colombia's defence minister is condemning the violence.

SOUNDBITE: Colombia's Defence Minister, Juan Carlos Pinzon, saying (Spanish):

"They murdered civilians without thought. There were wounded children and, of course, some police officers were killed and injured. This is a criminal act, a terrorist act."

Colombian analysts say the rebels are trying to show their military might again after a crackdown that weakened them and forced them back into the jungles.

The country's president is calling the attacks 'hypocritical' as the rebels have also asked the government for peace talks.

Paul Chapman, Reuters