By Jerry Williams
CALI, COLOMBIA — At least 17 people were killed and dozens more injured on Thursday in two separate attacks in Colombia, as government officials blamed dissident guerrilla factions for the escalating violence.
In Cali, a car bomb detonated near the Marco Fidel Suárez Military Aviation School in the city’s north, killing five people and injuring 36 others. The explosion tore through a busy street, damaging residential buildings and forcing the evacuation of nearby schools and institutions.
Eyewitnesses described widespread panic. “There was a thunderous sound of something exploding near the air base,” one resident told AFP.
Authorities believe the bombing targeted military infrastructure but caused significant civilian casualties. Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder condemned the attack as “cowardly” and announced a reward for information leading to those responsible. As a precaution, he ordered a temporary ban on large trucks entering the city.
Colombia’s Defence Minister, Pedro Sánchez, labelled the explosion a “terrorist attack” and pointed to the guerrilla group led by Iván Mordisco — a dissident commander from the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). “This cowardly attack is a desperate response to the Public Force’s success in dismantling drug routes across Valle del Cauca, Cauca, and Nariño,” Sánchez said in a statement.
Earlier that same day, a police helicopter was brought down by a drone strike near the town of Amalfi, north of Medellín. The aircraft, on a mission to eradicate coca leaf crops, crashed in a remote forested area. At least 12 officers were confirmed dead.
Images circulating on social media showed black smoke rising from the crash site. Authorities have not clarified whether the victims died in the crash or on the ground.
President Gustavo Petro condemned the drone attack, confirming that the helicopter was conducting a state-sanctioned counter-narcotics operation. Officials blamed the EMC — Colombia’s largest FARC offshoot — for the incident. The group has been linked to numerous recent assaults, including drone-based attacks across conflict zones.
Drone warfare has become an increasing concern for the Colombian government. So far in 2024, security forces have documented at least 115 such attacks, largely carried out by illegal armed groups. Last week, three soldiers were killed in the southwest when explosives were dropped from a drone onto a military checkpoint.
Colombia continues to face overlapping threats from rebel dissidents, paramilitary groups, and drug trafficking cartels. The recent wave of attacks signals a growing challenge for the state’s efforts to restore security in contested regions.
