Some 16,000 people in two central Colombian towns have been without access to potable water after an alleged FARC attack on an aqueduct, according to local media.
The attack on the Ariari aqueduct occurred on Saturday night in the rural area of Irique, Meta, allegedly by the 53rd front of Colombia’s largest guerrilla group, the FARC, Colombian authorities told national newspaper El Tiempo on Sunday.
The towns of Fuente de Oro and Granada, Meta were the most affected by the attack, according to national radio Caracol.
The Autonomous Regional Corporation that controls water supply in Meta, EDESA, stated that the supply of water should be normalized by mid-day on Monday, according to El Tiempo.
The Colombian military and police have been supplying clean water to the residents of the affected municipalities since the attack and have been working to repair the aqueduct, according to Caracol.
The commander of the Fourth Division of the Army, General Emilio Torres, criticized the attacks, saying, “This attack is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian laws,” according to El Tiempo.
“[The attacks] are a war crime, that violate the Rome Statute and the Geneva Convention, that prohibit attacks on water structures,” he added.
Sources
- Ejército trabaja en tubería para devolver agua a 16.000 habitantes en Meta (Caracol Radio)
- Sin servicio de agua en el Meta tras ataque al acueducto del Ariari (El Tiempo)
