Two or more people were killed and several others were wounded in an attack on a mine located in the Buriticá municipality, part of Antioquia province in Colombia. The incident involved explosives used against a site operated by Zijin-Continental Gold, a joint venture known for its mining activities in the region.
Col. Heinar Giovany Puentes, commander of the Antioquia Police, confirmed the attack and described the blast as an explosive device that detonated inside one of the mine’s working tunnels. He reported that two officials from the mining company lost their lives as a result of the blast and the ensuing chaos.
Some of the injured were transported to Santa Fe de Antioquia for treatment, where officials indicated their conditions were progressively stabilizing. Others were redirected to Medellín, the capital of the regional department, due to the severity of their injuries and the complexity of care required. Authorities indicated that judicial officers arrived at the scene to collect corroborative material and physical evidence for analysis by the Attorney General’s Office in order to identify those responsible for the attack.
The prevailing actors in the Buriticá area include the Gaitanista Self-Defense Force, known as one of Colombia’s strongest illegal groups, and the Clan del Golfo, a major criminal organization operating in the country. Their involvement is a key factor in the persistent violence affecting mining regions and local communities throughout Antioquia.