News reaching our platform confirms that a car bomb and a separate attack on a police helicopter in Colombia killed at least 17 people on Thursday.
However, President Gustavo Petro attributed both attacks to dissidents of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, commonly known as FARC.
It’s confirmed that at least 12 police officers died in the attack on a helicopter that, according to authorities, was transporting personnel to an area in Antioquia in northern Colombia to eradicate coca leaf crops, the raw material for cocaine.
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Petro had initially reported eight officers killed, but Antioquia Gov. Andrés Julián said four others died later and three remain injured.
The Antioquia governor had said on X that a drone attacked the helicopter as it flew over coca leaf crops. Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said preliminary information indicates the attack caused a fire in the aircraft.
Antioqueños, lo que ha pasado hoy en Colombia es de extrema gravedad. Es la demostración del fracaso de la paz total de Petro y la envalentonada de criminales.
Nuestro abrazo a las familias de los 12 PolicÃas asesinados hoy en zona rural de Amalfi.
Los uniformados cumplÃan con su… pic.twitter.com/81EEtxpoaf— Andrés Julián (@AndresJRendonC) August 22, 2025
Meanwhile, authorities in the southwest city of Cali reported that a vehicle loaded with explosives detonated near a military aviation school, killing five people and injuring more than 30.
The Colombian air force did not immediately provide additional details of the explosion. Petro initially blamed the Gulf Clan, the country’s largest active drug cartel, for the attack on the helicopter.
In conclusion, he said the aircraft was targeted in retaliation for a cocaine seizure that allegedly belonged to the group.
written by @enock katamba
- Enock Katamba is a Ugandan Journalist and Founder of Uncovered UG, an independent digital news platform covering Uganda and international developments. He reports on politics, national affairs, entertainment, sports, business, education and other stories of public interest.
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