A car bomb detonated outside a police station in Los Patios, near CĂșcuta in northeastern Colombia, on Monday night, killing one civilian and injuring 11 people, including two police officers. The blast, which also destroyed vehicles and motorcycles, brings the number of explosive attacks recorded in Colombia so far in 2026 to at least 204âincluding drone strikes rigged with grenades.
Officials say 174 attacks had been logged by July 30, with roughly 30 more occurring in August alone, about half of them since President Abelardo De La Espriella took office. Authorities attribute the CĂșcuta bombing to the ELN’s Carlos GermĂĄn Velasco urban front. According to police, the vehicle used had been stolen in June 2024âits owner was found dead the next dayâand later converted into a taxi rigged with roughly 80 kilograms (about 176 pounds) of ammonium nitrate explosive, detonated by remote radio signal. Investigators believe the car had been parked unnoticed in the area for nearly five days and may have been assembled in neighboring Venezuela before being smuggled across informal border crossings.
President De La Espriella traveled to CĂșcuta to lead a security council meeting, vowing to “combat and free every department from violence.” Military commander Erik RodrĂguez echoed the pledge, promising no truce for those “who threaten the security and lives of communities.” Colombia’s dissident FARC factions and the ELN guerrilla group remain locked in escalating violence nationwide.
Read the full investigation at El Tiempo.
Source: Ya son 204 atentados con explosivos en 2026: el carro bomba de Los Patios, CĂșcuta, endurece ofensiva contra el Eln (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
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