International

An attack with explosives leaves five injured and destroys a toll booth on the border of Colombia and Venezuela

A terrorist wave shook Colombia’s border with Venezuela in recent hours where unknown persons destroyed with explosives the toll located on the international highway that connects Cúcuta with San Antonio del Táchira and shot police posts, leaving at least five people injured by the attack, the authorities confirmed on Thursday.

The injured are three workers of the National Institute of Roads (Invías) and two guards of the toll that suffered the attack, located in Villa del Rosario, a municipality of the metropolitan area of Cúcuta, capital of the department of Norte de Santander and the main border crossing of Colombia with Venezuela.

“The toll was completely destroyed,” said the Secretary of Citizen Security of Norte de Santander, George Quintero, on Thursday, who offered a reward of “up to one hundred million pesos (about 25,000 dollars) to find those responsible for the violent events of the last few hours.”

Almost simultaneously this morning they attacked with shots a police post located in the Historical Temple, in front of the Home of General Francisco de Paula Santander, one of the heroes of Independence, also in Villa del Rosario, and the La Parada Police station, currently under construction.

No authority has confirmed the authorship of these attacks, although it is suspected that they may have been perpetrated by the guerrilla of the National Liberation Army (ELN), which operates in the region and which in recent days has placed bomb cylinders on some roads in Norte de Santander.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

The wave of violence occurs a day after several governors claimed the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, for the aggravation of the armed conflict in several parts of the country, during a meeting of the president with regional authorities.

“There is a very complicated perception in the country regarding security,” said William Villamizar, governor of Norte de Santander, where the Catatumbo region is located, hit for a month by the ELN’s onslaut against a FARC disssency that has left at least 63 dead and more than 50,000 displaced.

Villamizar, who spoke as a spokesman for his colleagues from the 32 Colombian departments, made a call to “strengthen the intelligence and work of the Military Forces” with an increase in the strength in several regions.

The same concern was expressed by the governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba, since in her department the ELN fights with the Gulf Clan, the main Colombian criminal gang, which until last week had left some 3,600 displaced and more than 12,000 people confined.

“I have raised my voice in recent days on behalf of the department of Chocó and on behalf of the communities of the department of Chocó because it is a real humanitarian crisis and international humanitarian law (IHL),” said Córdoba.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

On the other hand, material damage to homes and shops left an attack with explosives launched on Wednesday night against a temporary detention center in Popayán, capital of the convulsive department of Cauca, in southwestern Colombia.

The commander of the Metropolitan Police of Popayán, Colonel Jhon Fredy Zambrano, told reporters that “no effects were presented to people who remain deprived of liberty, nor to our personnel.”

Likewise, he assured that the possible use of drones in the attack is being investigated and that surveillance was reinforced in the area and a sweep was also carried out to rule out that there were other explosives.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”