Colombian soldiers deployed in Cali after deadly day of protests

Rights advocates raise concerns about escalating violence in southwestern city as mayor says 13 people died on Friday.

Colombian soldiers have started their deployment in the southwestern Colombian city of Cali after President Ivan Duque promised to restore order on the heels of deadly violence that erupted amid mass anti-government demonstrations. Tens of thousands of people marched across Colombia on Friday to mark one month of protests, which were sparked by now-withdrawn tax reform and have since expanded to include a long list of demands. The streets of Cali, the country’s third-largest city with 2.2 million inhabitants, were calm on Saturday, hours after confrontations between protesters, police and armed civilians killed several people.