Comandos de la Frontera, a rebel group operating in southwestern Colombia, launched a drone strike Monday that killed three soldiers and injured two others, according to Colombia’s army. The attack occurred in Ipiales, a municipality in the southwest that borders Ecuador.
The strike marks the latest in an escalating campaign of drone assaults against Colombian military forces. Colombia’s defense ministry documented 115 drone attacks in 2024, with President Gustavo Petro reporting 58 soldier and police deaths from drones in 2025, underscoring the growing threat rebel-operated unmanned systems pose to security operations.
The Threat Escalates
Colombia’s military is increasingly facing drone attacks as it fights drug traffickers and rebel groups led by former FARC members. Colombian rebel groups are mostly using commercial drones, including photography drones fitted with explosives, according to photos and footage shared by Colombia’s military.
The scale of the threat has intensified significantly. Colombia’s defense ministry documented 115 drone attacks against its troops in 2024. President Petro reported that 58 soldiers and police officers were killed by drones in 2025.
Government Response Stalled
Colombia’s army said it will continue operations in the area and intensify its offensive to locate and neutralize those responsible. President Petro issued an economic emergency decree in December aimed at raising taxes to allocate $700 million for equipment to enable the military to counter drone attacks. Colombia’s Constitutional Court struck down the decree, ruling that it violated the conditions required for the president to raise taxes without congressional approval.