World

Drone Strike on Santa Rosa del Sur Base Kills Three, Injures 16

By Al Jazeera Staff

A drone attack on a Colombian army base in Santa Rosa del Sur, a small town in the foothills of the San Lucas mountain range, killed three soldiers and wounded at least 16, the armed forces said on Saturday. The strike, which produced clouds of smoke and forced soldiers to take cover in sandbag shelters, was not attributed to any specific group. The area is rich in gold mines and has long been contested by rebel groups such as the Gulf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN), and smaller factions led by former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). President Abelardo de la Espriella posted on X that those responsible would have “nowhere to hide” and that every attack on soldiers would strengthen the resolve to defend Colombia. Violence has escalated in rural regions since de la Espriella, a conservative, took office in August. He cancelled peace talks with rebel groups, increased air strikes, deployed more troops in certain cities, and formed joint task forces to protect strategic assets like a pipeline from the Caribbean coast to central Colombia. The government claims that armed groups used ceasefires granted by the previous administration to consolidate control over rural areas, taxing local businesses and profiting from the drug trade, prompting some groups to intensify attacks on state forces. Last week, a military base in Tolima province was hit by missiles made from gas canisters, killing four civilians, including a two‑month‑old baby. Police in the border city of Cucuta have faced several attacks with remotely activated bombs. Between the start of October and 16, state forces and illegal armed groups carried out 34 bomb or explosive attacks in Colombia, a 9 percent increase over the previous year’s four‑week average, according to ACLED, a conflict‑monitoring organization. A 2016 peace deal with FARC led to the demobilisation of more than 14,000 fighters, but smaller groups have since fought over the rebels’ former territory.