Drone Attack on Colombian Military Base Kills Three Soldiers

A drone attack on a military base in northern Colombia killed three soldiers and injured at least eight, Colombia’s army said in a statement Saturday.

The Attack

An attack involving explosive-laden drones targeting a military compound in the northern Colombian department of Bolivar left three soldiers dead and eight wounded on Saturday, according to preliminary information from military sources.

The attack took place around midday Saturday at the Santa Rosa del Sur Military Compound, home to the Colombian Army’s 48th Jungle Battalion. According to initial reports, the attackers used several drones fitted with explosive devices to target the military unit.

The casualty figures are still subject to official verification. Early reports have differed on the number of casualties, and authorities are expected to release a consolidated assessment.

Official Response

The Army’s First Division officially confirmed that the military facilities had been attacked using unmanned aircraft equipped with explosives. The institution said it activated security protocols upon learning of the incident and began verifying the extent of the attack.

In its statement, the Army described the attack as a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law and human rights.

“We condemn the cowardly terrorist attack carried out against the military facilities in Santa Rosa, southern Bolivar, which has plunged our institution into mourning and threatens the lives and safety of those who serve Colombia (…) The killing of our soldiers and the injuries inflicted on other service members are criminal acts that must not go unpunished,” the military statement read.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella condemned the attack and expressed his solidarity with the victims and their families. “I WARN THE TERRORISTS: YOU WILL NOT INTIMIDATE US OR FORCE US TO BACK DOWN!” he wrote on his X account this afternoon.

De la Espriella added that he had ordered “our Public Forces to step up operations to identify, pursue and capture those responsible for this attack, strike their criminal networks, and regain control of the territories where they seek to impose fear and violence.”

Context and Investigation

Although responsibility has yet to be definitively established, initial reports point to the possible involvement of the National Liberation Army (ELN), a guerrilla organization with a significant presence in southern Bolivar.

Other illegal armed groups also operate in the area, including dissident factions of the former FARC and organizations linked to the Gulf Clan. The struggle for territorial control, illegal economies, and drug trafficking routes has made this part of the department one of Colombia’s persistent hotspots of violence.

The attack also took place one day after President Abelardo de la Espriella announced the capture of Leivis Enrique Valero Castillo, alias Carrito, who is accused of being one of the main figures behind the illegal finances of the ELN’s Guamoco Resistance Front. He was arrested in the rural settlement of Mina Nueva, in Santa Rosa del Sur, during Operation Ocaso, a military operation carried out jointly by the Armed Forces and the National Police.

For now, authorities have not confirmed any direct connection between the arrest and the attack on the military canton. Any possible link between the two events will have to be established through the relevant investigations.

Following the attack, the Armed Forces stepped up operations in the area to secure military facilities and prevent further armed attacks. The First Division also called on local residents to provide information that could help authorities anticipate threats against civilians and members of the security forces.

The attack came amid an especially violent day in Santa Rosa del Sur. Early Saturday morning, three men were killed in the town’s urban center in a separate incident whose circumstances and those responsible remain under investigation.

Why it matters

The attack highlights the growing threat posed by explosive drones in Colombia’s armed conflict and the ongoing difficulties authorities face in curbing illegal armed groups’ offensive capabilities, even when targeting military installations.

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Sources

• thestar.com: Drone attack on a Colombian military base leaves 3 soldiers dead
• colombiaone.com: Drone Attack in Colombia Kills 3 Soldiers and Wounds 8

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.