Car bomb and police helicopter attack in Colombia kill at least 18
President Petro said the EMC guerrilla group was behind the attacks on an air force base and a coca farm
Colombia suffered its bloodiest day in months as a cocaine-trafficking militia downed a police helicopter just hours before a deadly bomb attack on an air force base.
At least 12 police officers died and more were injured when a guerrilla faction targeted their chopper with a drone in Antioquia province in northern Colombia, authorities said.
President Gustavo Petro said the attack took place during an anti-narcotics mission to eradicate coca, the raw material for making cocaine.
Later on Thursday, a terror attack on an air force base in Cali, in western Colombia, left at least six civilians dead and dozens wounded. Two explosive devices were launched from the vehicle towards the base, before the truck itself exploded, according to authorities.
Eyewitness Alexis Atizabal, 40, said “there were fatalities among people passing by on the avenue”.
Petro blamed both attacks on the guerrilla faction known as the EMC, which is controlled by a warlord known as Ivan Mordisco.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder ordered martial law for the country’s third most populous city. He also announced a temporary ban on large trucks entering the city and called on the public to report information about the incident for a US$10,000 reward.