In the highlands and lowlands of a country long scarred by internal conflict, a new instrument of war has taken flight — and with it, a new form of dread. In the first five months of 2026, drone attacks by Colombian armed groups surged 146 percent over the prior year, killing 21 and wounding 145, nearly a third of them civilians who sought no part in the fighting. The sky itself has become contested territory, and the hum of an unmanned aircraft now carries the weight of a threat that no community can fully prepare for or escape.
Colombian drone attacks surge 146%, killing civilians caught in crossfire
21 people killed and 145 wounded including children; civilians comprise nearly a third of casualties; drone attacks have triggered displacement and restricted access to health centers and daily activities.