Colombia faces surge in drone attacks against police stations

Armed groups in Colombia are increasingly utilizing drones to conduct attacks against security forces, causing significant alarm among civilian populations in the Cesar and Norte de Santander departments.

In Pelaya, Cesar, a drone attack targeting a police station resulted in six officers being injured by shrapnel and blast waves. Authorities have offered a reward of up to 150 million pesos for information leading to those responsible. The government of Cesar has coordinated with the Ministries of Defense and Interior to address the security breach.

In Norte de Santander, specifically in El Carmen, a swarm of drones targeted a National Police station for approximately thirty minutes. While the attack primarily caused infrastructure damage, it triggered widespread panic and nervous breakdowns among local residents. Similar violence and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles have been reported in the Catatumbo region, including Tibú, El Tarra, and Sardinata, as armed groups fight for territorial control and illicit crop areas. Social leaders warn that this new dynamic of warfare is causing displacement and disrupting daily life, including school attendance.