Colombian authorities reported that 18 people lost their lives and dozens were wounded in two separate but near-simultaneous attacks carried out by dissident groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The first assault struck Cali, where a car bomb exploded near the Marco Fidel Suárez Military Aviation School, killing six and leaving more than 70 others injured. Hours later, in the municipality of Amalfi in Antioquia, a National Police Black Hawk helicopter was brought down while engaged in coca eradication operations, killing all 12 officers on board. President Gustavo Petro condemned the incidents as the work of groups that rejected the 2016 peace accord, vowing accountability for what he described as a major escalation of violence.

Car Bomb Attack In Cali

In Cali, Colombia’s third most populous city, a cargo vehicle loaded with explosives detonated outside the Aerospace Force base, producing a massive blast that shattered homes and injured civilians in the surrounding neighborhood. Eyewitnesses described a thunderous explosion followed by plumes of smoke. Mayor Alejandro Eder declared martial law across the city, restricted heavy truck entry, and announced a $10,000 reward for information on those responsible. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez labeled the incident a “terrorist attack” and accused the dissident faction led by Ivan Mordisco of orchestrating the bombing, saying it was a response to the state’s recent gains against drug trafficking networks in Valle del Cauca, Cauca, and Nariño.

Helicopter Downed In Antioquia

The second attack occurred earlier the same day in Antioquia’s Amalfi municipality, where a police UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was struck and crashed during operations to eradicate coca crops, a key component in cocaine production. Authorities confirmed that all 12 officers aboard were killed. Social media footage showed thick black smoke rising from a forested hillside near Medellín. Officials said the attack was carried out by the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), the largest surviving FARC offshoot, which has been increasingly using drone warfare against security forces.

Rising Violence And Fragile Peace

The Ministry of Defence stated that “the state will not yield to terrorism” and pledged full legal action against those behind the killings. President Petro convened an emergency security council with military leaders to implement new protective measures. Colombia has witnessed a surge in violence over the past year, with FARC dissidents, paramilitary groups, and narco cartels staging frequent attacks against police and soldiers. Drone strikes, once rare, have become a growing tactic—115 such attacks were recorded in 2024 alone, mostly by illegal armed groups. Just last week, three soldiers were killed in another drone assault in the southwest.

These incidents expose the fragility of Colombia’s peace process as the country approaches new elections. With dissident groups expanding their presence in coca-producing regions and clashing with state forces, officials warned that renewed instability could undermine years of fragile progress since the 2016 peace agreement that formally ended one of Latin America’s longest insurgencies.