Colombia Denounces ELN Drone Threats Against Hospital

morning · 17 August 2026 · thread: Car Bomb Attack in Cúcuta Leaves 11 Injured Ahead of Colombian Presidential Inauguration

2 sources across 2 countries · Argentina · Chile

Who reported this

Infobae Argentina · Centre-right · Daniel Hadad
La Tercera Chile · Centre-right · Copesa (Saieh family)

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The Colombian Ministry of Defense has denounced threats made by the National Liberation Army (ELN) against a hospital in Ábrego, located in the Norte de Santander department near the Venezuelan border. According to the ministry, drones equipped with improvised explosive devices flew over the health facility, endangering patients, medical staff, and wounded military personnel. The ministry specifically attributed these actions to the Carlos Armando Cacua Guerrero front and announced that a formal complaint will be filed to initiate an investigation.

Officials stated that threatening a protected facility is a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law, emphasizing that a hospital is not a battlefield. This incident follows a drone attack on military personnel in the same region one day prior, which left one soldier dead and five others injured. The Ministry of Defense stated that the Colombian Public Force will continue to use legitimate force to defend the country and its citizens against terrorism.

How each side framed it

Centre-right: Both outlets framed the event as a violation of international humanitarian law and an act of terrorism by the ELN.

Sources

Centre-right Infobae: The Government of Colombia denounces ELN threats against a hospital in the northeast of the country Argentina · Daniel Hadad
Centre-right La Tercera: Colombia denounces ELN threats against a hospital in the northeast of the country Chile · Copesa (Saieh family)

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.