Bogota, Oct 2 (Prensa Latina) Colombia's Ombudsman's Office has warned of an increase in armed attacks using drones—attributed to the National Liberation Army (ELN)—in the department of Choco, in the country's northwest.

According to the agency, several actions targeting police stations and checkpoints in municipalities within the San Juan sub-region were recorded between September 29 and yesterday.

It revealed that an attack on a police unit and a checkpoint in Condoto left one police officer wounded; it also reported that, 24 hours later, another incident occurred at Novita station, which was subjected to bursts of rifle fire and grenades dropped from drones.

Additionally, new reports were received regarding attacks on the Rio Iro police station.

“In Novita, the armed actions took place while a mass marking the end of the patron saint festivities was being held. One of the explosives struck a home adjacent to the police station, and—faced with the detonations and rifle fire—parishioners and local residents were forced to take cover,” the agency specified.

It emphasized that these events endanger the lives and safety of members of the security forces and expose communities living near the affected facilities to risk.

Furthermore, it warned of the growing use of drones by illegal armed groups to transport and drop explosive devices, noting that such usage poses a threat to the civilian population, particularly in inhabited areas or locations near civilian infrastructure.

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The post Alerts in Colombia over rise in drone attacks in Choco first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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