Oil protests turn deadly in Colombia as 79 police taken hostage, 2 people killed

Police taken hostage as oil protests turn deadly in Columbia (video screenshot)

(FOX NEWS) – Protests in Colombia have taken a violent turn after residents took 79 police officers hostage and two people died in the clash.

The residents of Colombia’s southern Caquetá province blockaded the compound of oil company Emerald Energy, a subsidiary of China’s state-owned company Sinochem. They also took nine oil field workers as hostages along with dozens of police officers.

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The protesters have demanded help to repair and build new roads in the area. A police officer, Ricardo Monroy, and a civilian died during the blockade. President Gustavo Petro decried the killings in a statement on Twitter.

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