Amman, April (Petra) -- The death toll from a series of bombings in southwest Colombia has risen to 19, with 38 others injured, forensic authorities said on Sunday.
The Colombian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences confirmed in a statement that search and rescue teams continue to look for missing persons following the blasts. Colombian authorities have blamed dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), who rejected a 2016 peace deal, for the coordinated attacks.
The violence began late Friday with an explosion targeting a military base in Cali, the country's third-largest city. That blast was followed by a series of attacks across the neighboring Valle del Cauca and Cauca provinces.
The escalation in violence comes as Colombia prepares for a presidential election scheduled for May 31. Security analysts and officials have expressed growing concern that armed groups are intensifying operations to disrupt the democratic process and exert territorial control in the lead-up to the vote.
The provinces of Cauca and Valle del Cauca have long been flashpoints for conflict due to their strategic importance for drug trafficking routes and the presence of various illegal armed factions. Government forces have been placed on high alert as they conduct operations to secure the region and prevent further strikes against military and civilian targets.
//Petra// AF
