A Children's Day party ended in a nightmare after the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) and FARC dissidents attacked the event, while they were holding a confrontation in the municipality of Tara, north of the Colombian department of Santander.
According to local authorities, the attack left four injured: a minor, a civilian and two soldiers.
“We were gathered in celebration of children's day.
In a crossroads of bullets, unfortunately, a girl and an adult were injured,” said Yair Díaz Peñaranda, mayor of this municipality near the border with Venezuela.
Partygoers recorded several videos of the event.
In one of them, the children are seen lying on the floor while their teacher tries to calm them down.
Her voice is drowned out by the bursts of gunfire.
The Colombian Army has reported that the wounded are a minor under 14 years of age, an adult, a non-commissioned officer and a soldier.
These last two are serious and were transferred to Cúcuta, the departmental capital, where they are treated, reports Efe.
"The guerrillas attacked the civilian population with bursts of rifles and explosives, regardless of the presence of children and adolescents," the Army reported in a statement.
According to the institution, the guerrillas also attacked the military base located on the outskirts of the municipality.
Subscribe here to the EL PAÍS América newsletter and receive all the key information on current affairs in the region.