The United Nations has condemned this Thursday the “indiscriminate” attack carried out the day before with a vehicle loaded with explosives on the Pan-American Highway, in the department of Cauca, in the southwest of Colombia, where a 20-year-old young man has lost his life and four other people have been injured.
The representative in Colombia of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Scott Campbell, has expressed in a statement his rejection of this type of action and has called on non-state armed groups to protect the civilian population and respect their right to life and physical integrity, in line with the obligations set by International Humanitarian Law. The attack has also caused material damage to homes and businesses in the area.
In this context, Campbell highlighted that indiscriminate attacks are clearly prohibited by International Humanitarian Law and “can constitute a serious violation” of this international legal framework.
The UN representative also conveyed his solidarity to the relatives of the deceased young man and to the residents of Cauca, while urging the competent authorities to investigate what happened and bring those responsible before Justice.
Lastly, Campbell reiterated the urgency of implementing effective measures to prevent the repetition of attacks of this type and to guarantee the safety of the civilian population.
The UN’s condemnation refers to an incident that occurred this Wednesday, when a 20-year-old young man who worked as a barber in the municipality of Patía died as a result of an explosives attack confirmed by the deputy secretary of Peace and Governance of the department of Cauca, Diana Murillo.
The country’s president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has condemned “with all force” what he has described as a “terrorist attack,” whose authorship has not yet been claimed.