Drones reshape war in Colombia as deaths and injuries mount
The Colombian army has introduced a battalion of drones to combat the rising threat of armed groups using unmanned aircraft in the ongoing conflict. The use of weaponized drones has led to numerous civilian casualties and a significant increase in attacks since 2023. This escalation marks a dangerous shift in Colombia's decades-long conflict, with armed groups adopting advanced technology to enhance their capabilities.
- ▪The first known drone attack in Colombia killed a 10-year-old boy in 2024 and injured 12 others.
- ▪Drone attacks surged from one incident in 2023 to 333 in 2025, according to the Colombian ministry of defense.
- ▪Dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) were the first to use drones, followed by other armed groups.
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The Colombian army has launched its own battalion of unmanned aircraft as part of efforts to tackle the growing threat. Photograph: Raúl Arboleda/AFP/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenThe Colombian army has launched its own battalion of unmanned aircraft as part of efforts to tackle the growing threat. Photograph: Raúl Arboleda/AFP/Getty ImagesColombiaDrones reshape war in Colombia as deaths and injuries mountCivilians left increasingly exposed as a dangerous new front opens up in the country’s decades-old conflictHarriet Barber in MedellínMon 18 May 2026 05.00 EDTLast modified on Mon 18 May 2026 05.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleAs night fell over southern Colombia, and a group of children began their weekly Tuesday football match, a drone appeared overhead.The children looked…
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