Cúcuta is a Colombian city on the border with Venezuela, a commercial hub and military corridor that has recently endured deadly drone‑assaults and an ensuing clash at a northeastern enlistment facility.
Two separate bomb attacks have marred Abelardo de la Espriella’s first week in office, killing at least one officer and wounding others. The army has attributed one tollbooth blast near Cali to dissident FARC factions and reported a drone strike on a police station in Cesar. De la Espriella has pledged a forceful crackdown and the US has pledged a $1bn security package.
Colombian authorities have reported that an attack on a military unit in Ocaña, Norte de Santander, has killed three soldiers and injured others. Officials and multiple outlets have blamed the National Liberation Army (ELN); authorities say drones loaded with explosives were used before ground fighting. President Abelardo de la Espriella has condemned the attack and vowed a forceful response.