Violence spikes across Colombia with dozens of attacks blamed on dissident factions of the former FARC ahead of the presidential vote, including assaults on infrastructure and vehicles, heightening security fears as the election approaches.
At least 14 people were killed and 38 wounded, including five children, when a bomb exploded on a busy stretch of the Pan-American Highway in Cajibío, Cauca, southwestern Colombia, in what authorities described as part of a weekend surge of attacks blamed on dissident FARC groups led by Iván Mordisco. The blast left a cratered road and wreckage as violence spread to nearby towns; officials say a national security council is being convened and President Gustavo Petro called for the maximum pursuit of the group while coordinating with Venezuela on border security.
The downing of a Colombian police helicopter by a drone highlights the growing threat of drone attacks on rotary-wing aircraft, driven by the proliferation of weaponized drones globally, and raises concerns about the future effectiveness of helicopters in conflict zones due to evolving drone and air defense technologies.
At least 18 people were killed in Colombia due to two attacks attributed to dissident factions of the FARC rebel group, including a drone downing a police helicopter and a car bombing in Cali, with President Gustavo Petro labeling these groups as terrorists and calling for international pursuit.
At least 14 people were killed in Colombia following a drone attack on a police helicopter and a car bomb explosion near a military air base, with authorities attributing the incidents to dissident factions of FARC and describing them as terrorist acts.
A series of terrorist acts in Colombia, including a drone attack on a police helicopter supporting anti-drug operations and a car bomb near a military air base in Cali, resulted in at least 14 deaths and numerous injuries, with authorities blaming dissident FARC groups and noting the attacks' connection to ongoing conflicts and drug-related violence.
Multiple bomb explosions in Cali, Colombia, targeting police posts, have resulted in at least two deaths and numerous injuries, with suspected involvement of dissident FARC factions. Attacks also occurred in nearby areas, raising concerns amid political tensions following an assassination attempt in Bogotá. The Colombian military condemned the attacks and expressed support for security forces.