Particle.news
Get it on Google Play
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

Explosive Drone and Ground Attack Kills Soldiers at Ocaña Military Post

The assault signals a new tactical escalation by rebel groups, prompting a government pledge of intensified military operations.

FILE - Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella salutes after taking the oath of office in Cali, Colombia, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)
President Abelardo de la Espriella, who has pledged to get tough on crime, blamed the country's largest active armed group for the attack

Overview

  • The attack struck a military compound in Ocaña in Norte de Santander, killing at least three soldiers and wounding several service members.
  • Authorities said explosive-laden drones were used to strike the compound before fighters entered and clashed with troops, and an unnamed military source told AFP that as many as 20 drones were deployed.
  • Local officials blamed the National Liberation Army (ELN) for the strike and the army publicly attributed the assault to rebel forces active in the Catatumbo area.
  • President Abelardo de la Espriella condemned the attack and vowed to bring the full weight of the state against those who kill security personnel, while Colombia is stepping up operations and coordinating more closely with U.S. initiatives including the Shield of the Americas.
  • The assault adds to a recent spike in violence in the coca-producing Catatumbo region, where ELN, FARC dissidents and criminal networks compete for smuggling routes that reach the porous Venezuela border and put civilians and soldiers at greater risk.