BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — An assault on a Colombian police helicopter killed not less than eight law enforcement officials on Thursday, based on President Gustavo Petro, who attributed it to dissidents of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, generally generally known as FARC.
Petro stated on X that the helicopter was transporting personnel to an space in Antioquia, in northern Colombia, to eradicate coca leaf crops, the uncooked materials for cocaine.
Antioquia Gov. Andrés Julián stated on the identical social media platform {that a} drone attacked the helicopter because it flew over coca leaf crops. Colombian Protection Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that preliminary info signifies the assault prompted a hearth within the plane.
Authorities didn’t instantly present particulars of the situations of the eight individuals who have been injured within the assault.
Petro initially blamed the Gulf Clan, the nation’s largest energetic drug cartel, for the assault. He asserted that the helicopter was focused in retaliation for a cocaine seizure that allegedly belonged to the group.
FARC dissidents, who rejected a peace settlement with the federal government in 2016, and members of the Gulf Clan function in Antioquia.
Coca leaf cultivation is on the rise in Colombia. The realm below cultivation reached a document 253,000 hectares in 2023, based on the most recent report obtainable from the United Nations Workplace on Medication and Crime.
Additionally on Thursday, authorities within the southwest metropolis of Cali reported {that a} automobile loaded with explosives detonated close to a navy aviation faculty, killing 5 folks and injuring greater than 30 others. The Colombian Aerospace Power didn’t instantly present particulars of the explosion, which Petro additionally attributed to FARC dissidents.
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Observe AP’s protection of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
