Colombia Drone Attack On Military Base Kills Three Soldiers, Eight Injured

A drone attack on a military base in northern Colombia has killed three soldiers and injured at least eight others, amid escalating violence involving armed rebel groups and drug gangs in the country.

The attack took place on Saturday in Santa Rosa del Sur, a small town located in the foothills of the San Lucas mountain range. Colombia's Army confirmed the casualties in a statement but said authorities had not yet identified those responsible for the strike.

Videos circulating on social media showed clouds of smoke rising from the military base following three explosions. Soldiers were also seen taking cover inside shelters reinforced with sandbags.

Reacting to the attack, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella vowed a strong response against those responsible. "Those who were behind this attack … will have nowhere to hide," he said in a post on X on Saturday. He added that every attack against the country's soldiers would strengthen the government's resolve to defend Colombia.

The attack comes amid growing insecurity in several rural regions since de la Espriella assumed office in August. The conservative president has abandoned peace talks with the country's remaining rebel groups and adopted a more aggressive security strategy. His government has increased airstrikes, militarised certain cities and established joint task forces to protect strategic infrastructure, including a pipeline connecting the Caribbean coast with central Colombia.

In response, several drug trafficking organisations and rebel groups have intensified attacks against the country's security forces.

Last week, a military base in Tolima province was targeted with missiles made from gas canisters, killing four civilians. Meanwhile, police personnel in the border city of Cucuta have faced repeated attacks involving remotely activated bombs.

The latest violence comes after years of unsuccessful attempts to negotiate peace with armed groups. Before de la Espriella took office, the Colombian government had been conducting multiple peace negotiations with rebel organisations, but the discussions yielded limited results.

The new administration has accused drug gangs and rebel groups of exploiting government-backed ceasefires to strengthen their control over rural territories. These groups have reportedly expanded their influence by collecting taxes from local businesses and generating revenue through the drug trade.

A landmark 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) resulted in the demobilisation of more than 14,000 fighters and allowed former rebels to establish a political party. However, smaller armed factions have continued fighting for control of territories abandoned by FARC guerrillas.

According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), state forces and illegal armed groups carried out 34 attacks involving bombs or explosives in Colombia during the four weeks ending October 16. This represented a 9 per cent increase compared with the average recorded over a similar four-week period last year.