Colombia: Armed attackers kill 3 Venezuelans & 2 locals in Betania municipality; probe on

At least three Venezuelans and two Colombians were killed in the municipality of Betania, Colombia, on Sunday, news agency Xinhua reported citing local authorities. According to the reports, the incident happened in the municipality of Betania, Antioquia department, in northwestern Colombia. 

Meanwhile, Antioquia Governor Anibal Gaviria took to Twitter and assured investigation of the attack.

"In the last hours, multiple homicides were registered in #Betania that left at least 5 people dead (3 Venezuelans and 2 Colombians). We advance the Extraordinary Security Council chaired by the Secretary of Security of Antioquia, Jorge I. Castaño," Antioquia Governor said on Twitter. 

Have a look at the tweets of Antioquia Governor here: 

"With local authorities, security and justice agencies, as well as high-ranking Army and Police commanders, we also agreed to redouble investigations, operations, and surveillance to achieve a safer Southwest. UNITED for Life. WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET THE VIOLENT WIN," added Antioquia Governor.

Citing official reports, Xinhua said that the killing happened on a coffee farm, where two well-armed men arrived and opened fire. "The army and local authorities are working on identifying the perpetrators," Xinhua quoted the head of the Antioquia Police, Colonel Daniel Mazo Cardona, as saying. 

Homicide rate in Colombia has been stable since 2014: Reports

In 2020, the UN Human Rights Office in Colombia registered 66 massacres via 18 departments of the country, where 255 people were killed. The authority has also received information on the killing of 120 human rights defenders. According to data from the Institute for Development and Peace Studies, there have been at least 76 cases of homicides registered in Colombia this year.

As per the data of Statista, in 2019, there were approximately 24 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in the country. The rate was 25.4 a year earlier. The homicide rate in Colombia has been stable since 2014, with the numbers varying between 24 and 26.1 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

Meanwhile, in Venezuela, there were nearly 46 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in the country, down from a homicide rate of 60.3 years earlier. Since 2017, when the homicide rate was at a peak, Venezuela has seen a decrease in the same in the following years.

Image: Twitter/@anibalgaviria/ Pixabay