Bomb Strapped to Horse Explodes in Columbia

by Sherry Morse

At least eight people were killed and fifteen injured when a horse loaded with explosives blew up in the crowded marketplace of a small Columbian town on September 17.

The Columbian military blamed the attack on a leftist rebel group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC).

The group has used animals, mainly donkeys and horses, in the past to carry bombs into crowded areas.

The target of the bomb was not clear, but the horse was turned loose in the marketplace of Chita, 150 miles northeast of Bogota as the town’s residents, including many children, prepared for the weekly market.

Among those killed was a two-year-old boy.

Army Sergeant Luis Hernandez said that a suspect, who allegedly led the horse into the plaza, was arrested by the military.

Columbian President Alvaro Uribe recently increased military spending and urged the military to do more to defeat FARC, which has a strong presence in Columbia’s countryside.

Approximately 3500 people, mainly civilians, are killed in fighting between the government and FARC each year.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.