Three Colombian soldiers killed in ELN drone attack on military post near Venezuelan border
Colombian authorities said at least three soldiers were killed and four others wounded when the National Liberation Army (ELN) attacked a military compound in a region bordering Venezuela, using drones rigged with explosives in an unusually sophisticated assault.
The army said the attack occurred Friday night in the municipality of Ocaña, in the northeastern department of Norte de Santander. Two soldiers died during the clashes that followed the drone strikes, while a third succumbed to injuries after being evacuated for medical treatment, according to a statement released Saturday. Four troops remained hospitalized.
In a sharply worded message on social media, President Abelardo de la Espriella condemned the assault and directed his remarks directly at the rebel group. “To the ELN I say with absolute clarity: for every police officer or soldier you kill, I will bring down on you the full weight and legitimate force of the State,” he wrote.
Security officials said the attackers first used at least twenty explosive-laden drones to strike the compound before ground fighters entered the facility, triggering an exchange of fire. The tactic marks a growing shift by armed groups in the region toward drone warfare, a method that has become more frequent in recent months despite military efforts to counter it.
The attack took place in the Catatumbo region, a strategic corridor for cocaine trafficking and illegal mining where the ELN has maintained a strong presence for decades. The area has seen repeated military raids since de la Espriella took office, and the government has stepped up operations aimed at dismantling the group’s logistics networks.
De la Espriella, who came to power promising a return to full-scale militarized confrontation with armed groups, has faced criticism that such a strategy could drive up civilian casualties and provoke retaliatory violence. Human rights organizations have also warned that aggressive tactics without adequate oversight may lead to abuses.
The latest violence underscores the persistent security challenges facing his administration. Despite high-profile operations and pledges to restore order, attacks by rebel factions and criminal organizations have continued to rattle communities across the country.
The president has also sought to deepen cooperation with Washington, aligning with the so-called “Shield of the Americas” initiative, which expands U.S. military involvement in the hemisphere. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with de la Espriella next week in Barranquilla, where security cooperation and the ELN threat are expected to be high on the agenda.
Analysts say Friday’s attack may complicate the government’s narrative of progress in the region and add pressure for a broader strategy that combines military action with institutional presence in neglected rural areas.