At least 17 people were killed in two separate attacks in Colombia on Thursday, according to government officials. The incidents involved an assault on a police helicopter and a car bomb explosion.
President Gustavo Petro stated that former rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) may have been behind the attacks.
The helicopter was carrying police officers engaged in an operation to eradicate coca plantations in Antioquia. Authorities confirmed that a drone strike ignited the aircraft, killing at least 12 police officers. Initially, President Petro reported eight casualties, but regional governor Andrés Julián Rendón later confirmed four additional deaths and three injuries.
Defense Minister Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez added that preliminary investigations suggest the helicopter caught fire after being hit during the attack.
Meanwhile, in the southwestern city of Cali, a car packed with explosives detonated near a military aviation school, leaving five people dead and injuring more than 30 others. The Colombian Air Force has yet to release detailed information on the incident.
President Petro initially blamed the country’s largest drug cartel, the Gulf Clan, saying the attack was an act of retaliation for recent cocaine seizures. He also confirmed that a suspected rebel member was arrested at the scene of the car bombing.
Source: AP