🕒 Created · Updated

Abelardo de la Espriella blames ELN for drone attack on Ocaña military garrison

President Abelardo de la Espriella attributed the attack on the Ocaña military garrison to the ELN guerrilla group. The incident occurred in the Catatumbo region of Colombia, where the ELN used at least 16 to 20 drones loaded with explosives to strike the Infantry Battalion N.° 15 and the El Trapiche Military Canton. The attack resulted in the deaths of two soldiers, Jhon Carlos Marrugo Manjarrez and András Bejarano Bejarano, and left five others injured. Local authorities in Ocaña decreed a nighttime curfew starting at 10 pm to ensure public safety. The attack also affected a Colombian Air Force aircraft and necessitated the evacuation of over 800 students from the Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander. The Ministry of Defense announced a new security strategy for the Catatumbo region to target ELN structures and leaders. President Abelardo de la Espriella stated that the state will use all legitimate force against the ELN for every soldier killed. The administration's actions are supported by the backing of President Trump, who leads the anti-narcotic alliance known as the Shield of the Americas.

Sources

Paywall and unreadable sources