Colombia Equips Armed Drones in Intensifying Battle Against Drug Cartels
In the South American nation of Colombia, the landscape of conflict has shifted dramatically in recent years, with the emergence of drone warfare. Over the past two years, about 60 army troops have been wounded in drone attacks and four have been killed, including 20-year-old Edison Guerrero.
Colombia's conflict, a decades-long struggle that had been gradually subsiding due to a 2016 peace treaty and ceasefires, has taken on a new, aerial dimension. Criminal organizations, particularly drug traffickers and insurgent groups like the ELN, have adopted commercial drones modified with improvised explosives for both surveillance and offensive strikes against rivals and security forces.
Militarily, the Colombian armed forces have responded by developing their own domestically produced armed drones. However, the production process is slow, with only eight of the latest models being produced per month. The drones, capable of carrying up to 18 pounds of explosives, are being tested by the Colombian Air Force.
The use of drones by criminal groups poses a significant challenge. Unlike traditional ground-based tactics, drones enable attacks from a distance, increasing mobility and the element of surprise while reducing direct exposure to military retaliation. This shift towards an aerial dimension in asymmetric warfare has forced the Colombian military to adapt.
For civilians, the implications are profound and troubling. The use of drones introduces a new vector of violence that increases risk to rural populations, including children and farmers, and generates fear that restricts legal economic activities such as crop transport. Unlike traditional landmines or ambushes, drone strikes are harder to detect and defend against, contributing to trauma and insecurity in affected communities.
The family of Edison Guerrero, who had been uprooted and forced to move due to the fighting, is grieving. The latest drone-related death occurred in May, when Guerrero, an army solider, was killed near the Venezuelan border.
The drones are also being used by criminal groups to monitor drug crops and laboratories, target rival smugglers, and ambush police and army troops. Excessive government red tape for purchasing and flying drones has hamstrung the military, according to Laura Bonilla, deputy director of the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation.
In response, the Colombian government is deploying drones to increase security, such as in Jamundi, Valle del Cauca province. However, the electronics to take down a $2,000 drone can cost up to $15,000, making it an expensive solution.
The use of drones in conflicts is not unique to Colombia. Unmanned aerial vehicles have become vital weapons in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East. However, the rapid improvement in the technology of drones used by criminal groups outpaces the military's ability to combat them, creating a complex and dangerous situation.
Over the past year, those ceasefires have collapsed, and the conflict in Colombia continues to escalate. The only effective defense against drones, according to Col. Talavera, is an anti-drone system made up of radars and jammers that block the frequency of enemy drones. As the conflict evolves, it is clear that both sides are adapting to the new reality of drone warfare, with significant consequences for civilian safety and livelihoods.
[1] "Colombia's Drones: A New Front in the War on Drugs" - The New York Times [3] "Drones in Colombia's Conflict: A Deadly New Tactic" - BBC News
- The Colombian government is looking into ESG-focused indexes for investment in technology companies specializing in anti-drone systems to counter the rising threat of drones in the ongoing conflict, with the hope of mitigating the risks to civilians and improving general-news coverage on the issue.
- As the Colombian military adapts to the use of drones by criminal organizations, the case of 20-year-old Edison Guerrero, who was killed in a drone attack, has brought attention to the growing problem of crime-and-justice in the South American nation, sparking national debate and calls for more effective security measures.
- Despite the increased use of drones in conflicts worldwide, from Ukraine to the Middle East, the shift towards using commercial drones modified with explosives as weapons brings with it new challenges and ethical considerations for the financial sector, which may be reluctant to provide credit for such high-risk ventures in the context of the escalating conflict in Colombia.
