Bogota, Jan 18 (IANS): At least 21 people were killed in a car bomb attack at a police academy in the Colombian capital of Bogota, authorities said.

An SUV laden with explosives was blown up on Thursday in the General Francisco de Paula Santander Officer's School, reports Efe news.

"The preliminary count stands at 21 deaths, including the perpetrator of the attack, and 68 injured, who were transferred to different care facilities with the help of the rescue and emergency services of the district," a police statement said.

Colombia's police and military training schools accept students from other Latin American countries.

The statement confirmed the identity of the attacker as Jose Aldemar Rojas Rodriguez, a native of Arauca who died upon detonating 80 kg of the high explosive pentolite that he was transporting in the SUV.

"Joint investigations with the Attorney General and other authorities are moving forward to establish the causes and culprits behind this terrorist act which has hurt Colombians," it said.

In a statement, President Ivan Duque vowed to punish those responsible for the attack.

"We Colombians have never submitted to terrorism and this will not be the exception, they won't bend us. We won't give way a single step to those who miserably attack society."