A National Police helicopter was shot down in the Los Toros rural area of Amalfi (Antioquia) in an attack carried out with a drone loaded with explosives.
The attack, which occurred on the morning of August 21, 2025, resulted in a tragic toll of 12 police officers killed and several injured, becoming one of the most serious blows against the security forces in recent years.
The moment of the attack
Videos shared on social media show the moment when the aircraft flies over the area before being hit by the explosion. The helicopter crashed while carrying out a support mission for officers who were conducting manual eradication of illicit crops.
Initial official reports indicated eight fatalities, but local and national authorities later confirmed that the number rose to twelve, in addition to more than half a dozen injured who had to be evacuated in critical condition.
Perpetrators of the attack
President Gustavo Petro attributed the attack to the 36th Front of the Central General Staff (EMC), a FARC dissident group under the command of alias Calarcá. According to the president, the attack was related to recent operations in which one and a half tons (3,307 pounds) of cocaine from the Clan del Golfo were seized in Urabá, which would have motivated the armed retaliation.
