Bomb blast on Glencore's Cerrejon rail line halts coal transport in Colombia

Cerrejon, Colombia's largest coal mine and a unit of Glencore, has suspended train operations following an explosives attack on its railway line in the northern department of La Guajira. The company confirmed the incident on Thursday, stating that no workers were injured and safety was not compromised.

The attack occurred shortly after midnight near kilometer 125 of the 150-kilometer railway that transports thermal coal from the open-pit mine to Puerto Bolivar on the Caribbean coast for export. Authorities are inspecting the area, while Cerrejon assesses potential damage to its infrastructure.

This marks the fifth attack on Cerrejon's infrastructure this year. The company did not attribute responsibility, but the region has seen activity from the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Cerrejon, which employs over 12,000 people, has faced repeated disruptions from Indigenous community protests and bomb attacks on its railway. The mine produced 16.8 million metric tons of coal in 2025, a 12.5% decline from the previous year. Communities near the mine have also accused Glencore of environmental damage.