Colombian government reports three killed in rebel attack on military post

Colombian authorities blame ELN rebel group for attack that reportedly included drones dropping explosives on compound.

Handout picture released by Colombia's Ministry of Defence press office showing Minister of Defence Jorge Mora looking at the site of a rebel drone attack, at a military garrison in Ocana, Department of Norte de Santander, Colombia, on September 5, 2026 [Javier Cassela/AFP]

Colombian authorities have said that at least three soldiers have been killed and several more injured after an attack on a military compound by an armed group that included drones used to drop explosives.

The Colombian army said on Saturday that the attack had been carried out by the rebel National Liberation Army (ELN) the night before in the municipality of Ocana, which is in the area bordering Venezuela. Two soldiers were killed in the clashes, along with a third who died after receiving medical attention. Four were injured.

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“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,” President Abelardo de la Espriella said in a statement on social media condemning the attack.

Authorities said that drones dropped explosives onto the compound in the department of Norte de Santander before fighting took place within the facility. The news service AFP reported that at least 20 drones loaded with explosives were utilised in the attack, citing an unnamed security official.

De la Espriella won office pledging to return Colombia to militarised confrontation with armed groups and criminal organisations that have jostled for influence across the country, despite concerns that it could lead to surging violence and possible rights abuses.

Deadly attacks by armed groups have continued to rattle the country since his inauguration.

The attack on Friday took place in the northeastern Catatumbo region, where the ELN is based and where the government has carried out military raids against armed groups.

De la Espriella has also promised closer ties with the United States, which has sought to expand its military involvement in the region under the so-called “Shield of the Americas” initiative.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with de la Espriella, a former lawyer who previously represented leaders of paramilitaries, in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla next week.

哥伦比亚当局指责民族解放军叛军发动袭击，据报道，袭击中使用了无人机向营地投掷炸药。

哥伦比亚国防部新闻办公室发布的照片​​显示，国防部长豪尔赫·莫拉于2026年9月5日在哥伦比亚北桑坦德省奥卡纳的一个军事驻地视察叛军无人机袭击现场。[Javier Cassela/AFP]

哥伦比亚当局表示，一个武装团体使用无人机投掷爆炸物袭击了一处军事营地，造成至少三名士兵死亡，另有多人受伤。

哥伦比亚军方周六表示，袭击事件是由反叛武装民族解放军（ELN）于前一天晚上在奥卡纳市发动的，该市位于哥伦比亚与委内瑞拉接壤的地区。冲突造成两名士兵死亡，另有一名士兵在接受治疗后不治身亡。四人受伤。

列表 1/3：哥伦比亚武装组织镇压行动致三名未成年人死亡

列表 2/3：强硬派总统就职后，哥伦比亚发生汽车炸弹袭击事件，举国震惊

列表 3/3：哥伦比亚极右翼政府承认以色列对戈兰高地的主权声索

“我要向民族解放军明确表示：你们每杀害一名警察或士兵，我都会动用国家全部力量和合法武力来惩罚你们，”总统阿韦拉多·德拉·埃斯普里利亚在社交媒体上发表声明谴责此次袭击时说道。

当局称，无人机向北桑坦德省的一处建筑群投掷了炸药，随后该建筑群内爆发了战斗。法新社援引一位不愿透露姓名的安全官员的话报道称，此次袭击至少使用了20架装载炸药的无人机。

德拉埃斯普里利亚赢得大选时承诺，将使哥伦比亚重返与武装团体和犯罪组织进行军事对抗的局面，这些团体和组织一直在全国各地争夺影响力，尽管有人担心这可能会导致暴力事件激增和可能侵犯人权。

自他上任以来，武装团体的致命袭击持续困扰着这个国家。

周五发生的袭击事件发生在东北部的卡塔通博地区，那里是民族解放军（ELN）的大本营，也是政府对武装团体进行军事打击的地区。

德拉埃斯普里利亚还承诺与美国建立更紧密的联系，美国一直寻求根据所谓的“美洲之盾”倡议扩大其在该地区的军事参与。

美国国务卿马可·卢比奥将于下周在加勒比海城市巴兰基亚会见德拉埃斯普里利亚，后者曾是一名律师，代表过准军事组织的领导人。