Colombia Deploys Troops to Violence-Hit Santa Marta

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella deployed troops to Santa Marta after gunmen linked to the Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada attacked businesses, burned vehicles and enforced a 48-hour curfew. The violence followed a security operation that killed 13 alleged members of the drug-trafficking group, including its second-in-command, known as “Cholo.” Streets in the Caribbean tourist city were largely deserted, businesses closed and residents lined up for supplies under heavy police and military presence. De la Espriella vowed to crush the group, which authorities accuse of extortion, cocaine trafficking and challenging state control in the region.