Topic analysis

Drones reshape war in Colombia as deaths and injuries mount

Weaponized drone attacks by armed groups in Colombia have surged dramatically since 2023, rising from one recorded attack that year to 149 in 2025 (per ACLED), targeting military, police, and increasingly civilians—including children and health workers—opening a dangerous new front in the country’s decades-long conflict. The Colombian government has deployed a multibillion-dollar anti-drone shield and other countermeasures, but experts warn armed groups are adapting faster, leveraging ties to global conflicts like Ukraine and transnational cartels to access technology and tactics, leaving civilians increasingly exposed.