Armed groups intensify drone attacks in Catatumbo, near Venezuelan border

The stability of the Colombia-Venezuela border faced a new setback Thursday morning with a drone attack targeting a Colombian Army base in Norte de Santander. The assault, involving 43 explosives launched from drones, directly impacted security in a strategic border transit zone.

The attack occurred in the municipality of Convención, within the volatile Catatumbo region. The blast from the unmanned aerial vehicles injured two soldiers and damaged the base's infrastructure. Military forces evacuated the wounded soldiers to medical centers with the support of the Air Force.

This region, bordering Venezuela, is contested by various criminal organizations, including the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former FARC. These groups are engaged in a struggle for control over coca cultivation and drug trafficking routes.

The Colombian Army issued a strong condemnation of the use of explosive-laden drones by organized armed groups. The deployment of such weapons has become a recurring tactic in the ongoing conflict, resulting in casualties among both security forces and civilians in the border area.

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The National Army categorically rejects the use of unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with explosive devices by organized armed groups.