18 Killed in Two Attacks in Colombia, Perpetrated by Dissenting FARC Faction

At least 18 people were killed and a dozen others injured in two separate attacks in Colombia in a single day. The government has stated that these attacks were carried out by a dissenting faction of the former FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels, who had rejected the 2016 peace agreement.

On Thursday, August 21, an explosive-laden vehicle detonated near a military aviation school in Cali, the country’s third-largest city. According to the city mayor’s office, six people were killed and at least 71 injured in the blast.

A few hours earlier, a Black Hawk helicopter of the national police, involved in a coca crop eradication operation in Amalfi, Antioquia, was targeted by a drone attack. The attack resulted in the deaths of 12 police officers.

President Gustavo Petro posted on social media, stating, “Our police officers were on a mission to destroy coca plantations when the helicopter was brought down by a drone attack.”

Local governor Andrés Julián explained that the helicopter was targeted by a drone while flying over the coca cultivation area. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said initial reports indicate that the drone strike caused a fire on the helicopter, resulting in its crash.

Initially, President Petro had blamed the notorious drug cartel, the Gulf Clan, for the attack. However, he later clarified that a suspect arrested in connection with the Cali car bomb attack is a member of a dissenting faction of the former FARC rebels, the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), and was working under the cartel.

It is worth noting that a portion of the former FARC rebels, who refused to comply with the peace agreement, remain active in various parts of Colombia. Meanwhile, the Gulf Clan continues its operations in the Antioquia region.