Drone Attack on Colombian Army Base in Santa Rosa del Sur Kills Three Soldiers

Drones fitted with explosives struck a Colombian Army base in Santa Rosa del Sur on Saturday, November 7, 2026, killing three soldiers. The town sits in the foothills of the San Lucas mountain range in northern Colombia. The Associated Press reported the attack, and the Colombian Army confirmed it in a statement.

Every report agrees that three soldiers were killed. The wounded count differs between official accounts, and both figures stand in this report with their sources. The Army First Division statement reported eight soldiers seriously wounded. Later reporting that cited the armed forces put the wounded at at least 16.

What the Army said

The Army said the unmanned aircraft had been fitted with explosive devices and used against the installation. Its statement was updated at 2:38 p.m. local time on November 7. Security protocols were activated after the strike, and damage assessments began at the base.

Footage shared on social media showed clouds of smoke rising from the base after three explosions. It also showed soldiers taking cover in shelters made of sandbags. The footage itself has not been independently verified, and this report does not treat it as confirmed evidence of the sequence inside the base.

Authorities have not said who carried out the attack. No group has publicly claimed responsibility.

President Abelardo de la Espriella answered on X on Saturday. He wrote: "Those who were behind this attack... will have nowhere to hide. Every attack against our soldiers strengthens our resolve to defend Colombia."

A disputed gold region

Santa Rosa del Sur sits in an area rich in gold mines. The area has long been disputed by the Gulf Clan, the National Liberation Army, known as the ELN, and smaller groups led by former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC. That presence is context for the region. It is not evidence that any one of those groups carried out this strike, and no authority has made that claim.

Colombia's human rights ombudsman, the Defensoria del Pueblo, called for an urgent state response. The office noted that explosives used near populated areas create risks beyond the intended military target.

Violence has risen in rural areas

Violence has intensified in several rural areas since President de la Espriella, a conservative, took office in August. He cancelled peace talks with rebel groups and has taken a confrontational approach. That approach includes more air strikes and joint task forces.

ACLED, a group that monitors armed conflicts, recorded 34 attacks with bombs or explosives in Colombia in the four weeks to October 16. That count was a 9 percent increase on last year's four-week average.

Last week a military base in Tolima province was targeted with missiles made from gas canisters. Four civilians were killed in that attack, including a two month old baby.

For Santa Rosa del Sur, the confirmed record at this stage is narrow. Three soldiers are dead. The wounded count is reported as eight in the Army First Division statement and at least 16 in later armed forces reporting. The Army says explosive drones hit its base, protocols were activated, and assessments began. Who sent the drones remains unanswered.