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A worker patrols adjacent the runway of the Camilo Daza airdrome wherever an detonation occurred adjacent the airport's perimeter obstruction successful Cucuta, Colombia, Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. Colombian constabulary are investigating 2 explosions adjacent the airdrome that killed 2 constabulary officers. (AP Photo/Ferley Ospina)

BOGOTA – Colombian constabulary are investigating 2 explosions that occurred connected Tuesday successful the borderline metropolis of Cucuta and killed 2 policemen adjacent the city’s airport.

Defense Minister Diego Molano said the blasts were caused by “terrorist” groups that run successful the metropolis of fractional a cardinal people, which is located connected the borderline with Venezuela and is simply a hub for commerce and migration.

Police said the archetypal blast took spot astatine 5 a.m. arsenic a antheral carrying explosives tried to ascent implicit a obstruction that separates the airport’s runway from 1 of the city’s neighborhoods. The antheral died instantly successful the blast. About an hr aboriginal a 2nd blast occurred arsenic constabulary inspected a bundle that had been near successful the area, sidesplitting 2 members of the police’s anti-explosives squad.

Though the explosions took spot adjacent the airport’s runway, the rider terminal was not affected. But flights were suspended and passengers were evacuated from the building.

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Cucuta is the superior of North Santander state, a borderline portion that has precocious seen a surge successful warring betwixt guerrilla groups and cause trafficking gangs that are vying for power of coca crops and trafficking routes. In June, a car weaponry was acceptable disconnected astatine a subject basal successful the outskirts of the city, wherever U.S. subject advisers were working. Then successful August a weaponry was acceptable disconnected extracurricular a constabulary station, injuring 14 people. President Ivan Duque’s chopper was besides changeable astatine during a caller sojourn to the city. The president emerged unharmed from the attack.

Armed organizations operating successful North Santander see the National Liberation Army guerrilla group, and dissident groups formed by erstwhile members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia who refused to motion a 2016 bid woody with Colombia’s government.

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