According to a report by the BBC on August 22, two serious attacks occurred in Colombia within a single day, resulting in at least 18 deaths and dozens of injuries. This is considered to be one of the worst security crises in the country in decades.
On August 21, local time, in the northern part of the city of Cali in the Valle del Cauca province in southwestern Colombia, a car bomb exploded on a busy street, killing six people and injuring more than 60. The explosion occurred near the Marco Fidel Suárez Air Force Base, and the shockwave caused damage to nearby houses. The mayor of Cali subsequently announced martial law in the city and offered a $10,000 bounty for leads. Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez described the attack as a “terrorist act.”
Colombia police examined the car bomb explosion site.
On the same day, in rural areas of Amalfi in northwestern Medellín in the Antioquia province, a police helicopter carrying 12 officers crashed after being attacked by a drone while carrying out a mission to eradicate coca crops. All 12 officers on board were killed. Sanchez claimed that the drone attack was carried out by the “Eastern Military Command” (EMC), one of the largest branches of the former anti-government armed forces, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
BBC reported that after the attacks, the Colombian president and military leadership announced that they would convene a security committee meeting to “develop additional protective measures.” Given the severity of the two attacks, the Colombian military has ordered all troops nationwide to enter a state of defense readiness level one, which requires troops to maintain the highest level of alert and prepare to respond to new threats or attacks at any time.