The Army confirmed that four soldiers were killed and others five were injured during a attack with explosives launched from drones against troops carrying out operations in the rural area of Tibu, Norte de Santander. The offensive took place in Barco La Silla sidewalknear the border with Venezuela, where the uniformed They were attacked with 20 explosive devices transported by unmanned aircraft.
The victims were identified as the second corporal José Luis Sánchez Berrío and professional soldiers Yair Jesús Méndez Bonza, Jeiner Pineda González and Gerson Mauricio Plazas Lovewho belonged to the Ground Operations Battalion No. 10attached to the Vulcan Task Force of the Second Division of the National Army.
According to the official report, the military carried out stability operations in the vicinity of the border line when were targeted. The institution confirmed that 20 explosive devices were used launched from drones, although it did not specify how many aircraft participated in the offensive or from what point they were operated.
Drones with explosives used by armed groups. Photo:Courtesy
After the explosions, military units activated the reaction protocols and evacuation for attend to the five professional soldiers who were injured. Coordinations were also established with the Colombian Air Force to facilitate its extraction and transfer to healthcare centers.
Vulcan Task Force Command rejected what happened and questioned the use of unmanned aircraft to attack their units and pointed out that these devices “violate International Humanitarian Law and they threaten the lives of our soldiers.”
Although the Army did not officially attribute responsibility for the attack to any organization, the first information known through this medium points to a possible participation of the National Liberation Army (Eln). In this area of Catatumbo also maintains a presence Front 33 of the FARC dissidentsa structure that sustains a territorial confrontation with that guerrilla.
One of the drones that is equipped with explosives. Photo:Courtesy
He President Abelardo De La Espriella He referred to the attack and noted: “This crime will not go unpunished! I have ordered deploy all intelligence capacityinvestigation and operation of the Public Force to pursue them, locate them and bring them to justice,” he said.
One of the initially known hypotheses indicates that the aircraft would have been launched from Venezuelan territory. However, the military statement is limited to confirming that the attack occurred near the border line and does not establish the origin of the drones.
Catatumbo Region. Photo:Overflight in Catatumbo.
The offensive adds to the at least 350 drone attacks recorded in Colombia during the run of 2026a modality that has had a special impact on Cauca and Catatumbo. The FARC dissidents under the command of alias ‘Iván Mordisco’ They are among the organizations that use these devices the most, mainly in the southwest of the country.
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