Colombian soldier killed, four wounded in drone bomb attack

A Colombian Army sergeant has died and four soldiers were wounded in an attack involving explosives dropped from drones in El Carmen, a town in the Catatumbo region of Norte de Santander, near the Venezuelan border. The military confirmed the incident on Friday.

The soldiers were part of the 10th Special Energy and Road Battalion, tasked with protecting the population in El Carmen. The Army stated that the unit "was the target of an attack using unmanned aircraft fitted with explosive devices." The deceased has been identified as Sergeant Yuver Antonio Gutiérrez Torres.

This marks the second drone attack with explosives targeting the Army in the Catatumbo region in as many days. On Thursday, 43 devices were launched against a military base in the municipality of Convención, resulting in injuries to two soldiers.

The Catatumbo region is a volatile area where the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group and the 33rd Front of former FARC dissidents are active. These groups reportedly vie for control over coca plantations and drug trafficking routes. The use of explosive-laden drones has become a recurring tactic in Colombia's armed conflict, leading to casualties among military personnel, police, and civilians.