Colombia grenade attack - three die, nine injured.

A grenade assault carried out by a local gang in Colombia's capital late Wednesday resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to nine others, as reported by Bogota's mayor. This incident follows a similar attack in the same area just weeks prior.

"Tonight, an explosive device was hurled into a crowd, tragically resulting in three fatalities and at least nine injuries," Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan stated in a message on the social media platform X shortly before midnight (0500 GMT) Wednesday.

Galan characterized this latest attack, akin to previous incidents in the vicinity, as a response from criminal gangs attempting to endure the ongoing pressure exerted by Bogota police on their operations in the San Bernardo neighborhood.

The mayor further indicated that he had instructed Bogota police to "escalate efforts" against local gangs and to "apprehend their leaders."

According to Bogota police commander Giovanni Cristancho, the grenade attack stemmed from a conflict between "two local organized criminal factions" vying for control over the area.

The central San Bernardo neighborhood, historically known for furniture manufacturing, has increasingly become a hub for drug trafficking and consumption in recent years, attracting many unhoused individuals and drug users.

Three weeks ago, a homeless person was killed, and seven others sustained injuries due to another grenade explosion in the same neighborhood.