Latest news with #ELN
Japan Today
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Rebels in Colombia attack military patrol with drone, killing 3 soldiers
Rebels in northeastern Colombia used a drone to attack a military patrol in a rural area, killing three soldiers and injuring eight, the military said. The army blamed the attack on the National Liberation Army, or ELN, a group of approximately six thousand fighters that has been fighting the Colombian government since the 1960s. The attack took place Sunday outside the town of El Carmen in the Catatumbo region, the military said in a statement. Rebel groups in Colombia are increasingly using drones to attack the military and to attack each other as they fight for control of rural areas. They mostly use commercial photography drones with explosives strapped to them, flying them straight into their targets. Colombia's Defense Ministry says that rebel groups launched 115 drone attacks last year. Sunday's drone attack is the one of the deadliest on record. Colombia's government has struggled to contain violence in rural areas that were formerly under the control of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the guerrilla group that made peace with the government in 2016. Several smaller rebel groups and drug gangs are now fighting over the control of areas abandoned by the FARC, where illicit activities like drug trafficking and illegal mining are common. In January, Colombia's government suspended peace talks with the National Liberation Army, following a spate of attacks in the Catatumbo region, in which at least 80 people were killed and 50,000 were forced to flee their homes. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Arab News
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Rebels in Colombia attack a military patrol with a drone, killing 3 soldiers
BOGOTA, Colombia: Rebels in northeastern Colombia used a drone to attack a military patrol in a rural area, killing three soldiers and injuring eight, the military said. The army blamed the attack on the National Liberation Army, or ELN, a group of approximately six thousand fighters that has been fighting the Colombian government since the 1960s. The attack took place Sunday outside the town of El Carmen in the Catatumbo region, the military said in a statement. Rebel groups in Colombia are increasingly using drones to attack the military and to attack each other as they fight for control of rural areas. They mostly use commercial photography drones with explosives strapped to them, flying them straight into their targets. Colombia's Defense Ministry says that rebel groups launched 115 drone attacks last year. Sunday's drone attack is the one of the deadliest on record. Colombia's government has struggled to contain violence in rural areas that were formerly under the control of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the guerrilla group that made peace with the government in 2016. Several smaller rebel groups and drug gangs are now fighting over the control of areas abandoned by the FARC, where illicit activities like drug trafficking and illegal mining are common. In January, Colombia's government suspended peace talks with the National Liberation Army, following a spate of attacks in the Catatumbo region, in which at least 80 people were killed and 50,000 were forced to flee their homes.
Toronto Star
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Rebels in Colombia attack a military patrol with a drone, killing 3 soldiers
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Rebels in northeastern Colombia used a drone to attack a military patrol in a rural area, killing three soldiers and injuring eight, the military said. The army blamed the attack on the National Liberation Army, or ELN, a group of approximately six thousand fighters that has been fighting the Colombian government since the 1960s. The attack took place Sunday outside the town of El Carmen in the Catatumbo region, the military said in a statement.
Associated Press
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Rebels in Colombia attack a military patrol with a drone, killing 3 soldiers
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Rebels in northeastern Colombia used a drone to attack a military patrol in a rural area, killing three soldiers and injuring eight, the military said. The army blamed the attack on the National Liberation Army, or ELN, a group of approximately six thousand fighters that has been fighting the Colombian government since the 1960s. The attack took place Sunday outside the town of El Carmen in the Catatumbo region, the military said in a statement. Rebel groups in Colombia are increasingly using drones to attack the military and to attack each other as they fight for control of rural areas. They mostly use commercial photography drones with explosives strapped to them, flying them straight into their targets. Colombia's Defense Ministry says that rebel groups launched 115 drone attacks last year. Sunday's drone attack is the one of the deadliest on record. Colombia's government has struggled to contain violence in rural areas that were formerly under the control of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the guerrilla group that made peace with the government in 2016. Several smaller rebel groups and drug gangs are now fighting over the control of areas abandoned by the FARC, where illicit activities like drug trafficking and illegal mining are common. In January, Colombia's government suspended peace talks with the National Liberation Army, following a spate of attacks in the Catatumbo region, in which at least 80 people were killed and 50,000 were forced to flee their homes.
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Hero dog has a leg blown off but saves 'hundreds' of people's lives after sniffing out bomb
A brave military dog has been called a hero in Colombia after sniffing out a hidden bomb planted by guerrilla rebels, which detonated during a military operation. Although Sanson ended up saving hundreds of soldiers and civilians, his leg was blown off in the blast. The dramatic incident, which took place in the mountainous region of Antioquia, came just two days after a separate bombing in the same area involving a donkey rigged with explosives. That attack killed one soldier and left two others injured. Sanson was supporting troops during a reconnaissance mission when the device exploded. According to a statement released by the Colombian army on Friday, the explosive had been planted by fighters from the National Liberation Army, known by its Spanish acronym ELN, along a path frequently used by residents in the region. Despite suffering severe injuries in the blast, including a shattered leg, Sanson managed to crawl back to his handler, soldier Carlos Eduardo Beleño, in a moment that authorities described as both heartbreaking and heroic. The Second Division of the National Army said on social media: 'Our #FourLeggedHero lost one of his limbs but saved the lives of 36 soldiers and hundreds of residents of the La Raya hamlet in Yondó #Antioquia, who pass through this area daily.' Sanson underwent emergency surgery and had one of his legs amputated. He is now recovering, with video footage released by the military showing the injured dog being treated at an animal hospital. The army added: 'He will no longer be able to serve, but his legacy will live on in every soldier he bravely protected.' Officials said the bomb, which had been placed on a path used by the local community, was a direct violation of international humanitarian law and had endangered both military personnel and civilians. The ELN, a guerrilla group made up of an estimated 6,000 fighters, has been waging an armed insurgency against the Colombian government for decades. The United States has designated the ELN as a foreign terrorist organisation. Peace talks between the group and the Colombian government were suspended earlier this year after a spate of deadly attacks, including raids near the Venezuelan border that left dozens dead. Sanson's bravery has struck a chord in Colombia, with social media users flooding the army's pages with messages of support and admiration for the injured canine. Earlier this month, a heroic sniffer dog who had rescued nine missing people was killed after eating food laced with nails. That case has sparked a police investigation and widespread public outrage.
