At least 18 killed and dozens injured

At least 18 people were killed and dozens were injured in two separate attacks in Colombia, deepening the most dangerous security crisis in the country for decades.

Six people died and more than 60 years were injured after a bomb exploded on a crowded street in the western city of Kali, Colombia, according to the authorities.

Earlier on Thursday, a separate drone attack was killed at a police helicopter at least 12 people in a rural area outside the northwestern city of Medeline.

The attacks, which are attributed to various factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Group that were now in Colombia (FARC), is new challenges on fragile peace operations in Colombia before the elections next year.

Alejandro Edir, mayor of Kali, has ordered the customary rulings of the third most populated city in the country. He also announced a temporary ban on large trucks entering the city and called on the public to report information about the incident with a reward of $ 10,000.

In the wake of both attacks, the president and the military leadership announced that they would lead a security meeting to “determine additional protection measures” for citizens.

The Ministry of Defense on social media said: “The state will not be subject to terrorism. These crimes will be followed up and punished by the full force of the law.”

According to eyewitnesses, the car in Kali targeted Marco Fidel Suarez Military Aviation, killing civilians on the street and damaging many homes.

“There was a loud voice for something that explodes near the air base,” an eyewitness told AFP.

Defense Secretary Pedro Sanchez described the explosion as a “terrorist attack” and blamed “NARCO Cartel Alias ​​Mordisco” – referring to guerrilla war leader Ivan Mordesco.

He said on social media: “This cowardly attack against civilians is a desperate reaction to the loss of drug trafficking in Valley Del Coca, Al -Quqa, and Nario, as the General Force neutralized many of this threat.”

In his speech to a separate attack on a police helicopter, President Gustavo Petro said that the plane was on a mission to eliminate coca leaves crops – a major component of cocaine.

The helicopter crashed on the ground after a drone hit, killing the 12 officers on the plane.

The photos circulated on social media showed thick columns of black smoke that escalates in the Amalfi Forest area in the north of the country.

Sanchez said the attack was committed by the EMC Guerrilla collection, the largest sorting of FARC.

Colombia has witnessed a rise in violence in recent months that involve clashes between the security forces and the dissident rebels, the paramilitary forces or drug gangs.

Driver attacks have also become increasingly common in recent years: in 2024, 115 attacks were recorded in the country, most of which are carried out by illegal armed groups.

Last week, three soldiers were killed in a drone in the southwest of the country, where explosive devices were dropped on the Navy and the army who were running a checkpoint.