Colombia Is Hit by 204 Bomb Attacks in 2026

Colombia has recorded 204 bomb attacks so far in 2026, a figure that reflects the persistence and transformation of armed violence in different regions of the country.

The tally, which includes traditional methods such as car bombs and devices planted along roads, also counts attacks carried out with drones loaded with explosives or grenades, an increasingly common form of attack among the various armed groups operating in the country.

The figure rose again after a car bomb exploded Monday in front of the Police station in Los Patios, in the metropolitan area of Cúcuta, Norte de Santander department. The attack left one civilian dead and 11 people injured, including two police officers. It was the latest in a series of attacks during an especially turbulent month of August.

Colombia is hit by 204 bomb attacks in 2026

As of July 30, authorities had recorded 174 explosive attacks. At least another 30 took place in August, bringing the cumulative total to 204. Of those 30 attacks recorded in August, approximately 15 occurred after August 7, the date Abelardo de la Espriella took office as Colombia’s president.

The figure does not mean that all attacks following the arrival of the new government can be attributed to the same organization, nor that there is a direct connection between the change in administration and the increase in attacks. The period, however, coincides with an intensification of military operations against armed groups and a shift in the government’s security policy.

The de la Espriella government has formally and explicitly abandoned the negotiation strategy known as “Total Peace,” promoted by Gustavo Petro, and has announced a more forceful offensive against armed organizations. Between August 7 and 30, the Military Forces reported 782 actions against armed groups and criminal networks, including 702 arrests, 35 surrenders and 33 combatants killed in military operations.

One of the main transformations in Colombia’s armed violence is the growing use of drones as platforms for launching explosives. It is no longer limited to car bombs, cylinders or devices planted on roads and in buildings: illegal armed groups have incorporated unmanned aerial systems to attack military positions, police stations and Public Force vehicles.

The Ombudsman’s Office recorded 121 attacks involving unmanned aerial systems between January and May 2026, leaving 21 people dead and 145 injured. The phenomenon has spread particularly in areas where armed organizations maintain territorial control.

In Catatumbo, for example, 17 attacks involving explosive drones had been documented between January 1 and July 9, leaving 39 civilian and Public Force victims. In August, drone attacks were also recorded in departments such as Cauca, Cesar and Tolima.

The ELN accounts for most cases

Among the organizations identified as responsible for the attacks, the National Liberation Army (ELN) appears to be the main actor. The available tally attributes at least 75 of the 204 attacks to the guerrilla group, several of them carried out in Catatumbo, one of the regions most affected by the armed conflict.

The various criminal groups that emerged as dissidents from the former FARC also play a significant role. These are fragmented structures operating under different commanders, including those linked to Ivan Mordisco and alias Calarca, former allies who are now fighting for control of illegal economies. Some of these organizations have increasingly turned to drones and explosives to strike the Public Force.

A recent example occurred in Ataco, Tolima, where drones loaded with explosives were used on August 30 against a Carabineros vehicle and the police station. The attack, initially attributed to the Gerónimo Galeano Front of the FARC dissidents, left at least two officers injured.

The situation is not limited to the ELN and the dissident groups. The Gulf Clan — officially with 10,000 members and currently the country’s most powerful illegal armed group — maintains a broad territorial presence and also ranks among the organizations targeted by the Military Forces.

Overall, the Ombudsman’s Office indicates that the various FARC dissident groups operate in 372 municipalities, the ELN in 260, and the Gulf Clan reaches 509 municipalities.

The proliferation of armed structures, disputes over drug-trafficking corridors and territorial control have turned explosives into a recurring tool of intimidation and confrontation. The 204 attacks recorded so far show that, despite the change in government and the launch of a more aggressive military offensive, armed groups retain the ability to strike in different parts of Colombian territory.