Colombia deploys army to Santa Marta after offensive against armed group

President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered troops into Santa Marta following attacks on businesses and vehicles, which came after a security operation killed several members of the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada, a paramilitary-origin drug-trafficking group. The deployment signals an escalation in state response to armed-group violence in a major Caribbean city, with potential implications for local security and stability.