Five people have been killed and three injured in a car bomb explosion in north-eastern Colombia, police have said. A Colombian army patrol was passing by when a bomb exploded in the town of Saravena, Arauca State, they said.
The blast killed three adults and two children, the mayor of the town, Jose Trinidad Sierra, told the BBC.
Arauca State is one of Colombia's hottest war zones where rebels and paramilitary forces have been fighting each other over oil resources.
The explosion occurred near Saravena's airport and a Colombian military base, where US special forces have been training Colombian troops.
No-one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The authorities are reported to have offered a reward of 50m Colombian pesos ($17,500) for information leading to those responsible.
Arauca is a stronghold of Colombia's two main guerrilla groups - the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), and the National Liberation Army, or ELN.
US special forces troops have been there since January, training a Colombian anti-guerrilla unit and to defend an oil pipeline from rebel bomb attacks.
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