Editorial pack · DroneLedger
Drone attack on security forces on the Naya River in Colombia kills three soldiers; authorities blame FARC dissidents
Current state
On Tuesday 12 August 2025 a drone carrying explosives attacked Colombian security forces on the Naya River, in a rural area near the Pacific port of Buenaventura, killing three soldiers and injuring four. Colombian Navy officials reported the attack, and authorities blamed a FARC dissident group.
Evidence states
| Drone presence | reported · sources [1], [2] |
|---|---|
| Impact | confirmed · sources [1], [2] |
| Attribution | suspected · sources [1], [2] |
Three soldiers were killed and four others injured, according to Colombian Navy officials. The injured were flown by helicopter to Buenaventura for medical care.
The Navy reported the attack in a press release. The two cited reports differ on the target: The Defense Post says a drone loaded with explosives attacked a vessel navigating the river, while the other report says explosives were dropped on navy and army members manning a checkpoint on the Naya River.
Claims
2 sources · 3 original statements. Sources that repeat the same statement count once.
| Claim and source passage | Original source | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Colombian Navy officials said three soldiers were killed and four injured after a drone loaded with explosives attacked a vessel on a river near the Pacific coast. “Colombian Navy officials said three soldiers were killed and four others were injured Tuesday after a drone loaded with explosives attacked a vessel navigating a river near the country’s Pacific coast.” [1] | Colombian Navy (relayed) | supports: Statement by the Navy, a party to the armed conflict; the second report describes a checkpoint rather than a vessel. |
| A second report said the devices dropped explosives on navy and army members manning a checkpoint on the Naya River. “The devices dropped explosives on members of Colombia’s navy and army, who were manning a checkpoint on the Naya River.” [2] | News digest summarising a news report (relayed) | context: Differs from The Defense Post on whether the target was a vessel or a checkpoint. |
| Navy officials said the attack happened while troops were patrolling the Naya River near Colombia's main Pacific port. “Tuesday’s attack occurred while troops were patrolling the Naya River, in a rural area near Colombia’s main port on the Pacific Ocean, Navy officials said in a press release.” [1] | Colombian Navy (relayed) | supports: Gives the location and activity of the troops. |
| Authorities blamed the attack on a FARC dissident group. “Authorities blame the attack on a FARC dissident group” [1] | Colombian authorities (relayed) | supports: Attribution by authorities that are a party to the conflict; no group claimed the attack in the cited reports. |
| The report notes that 115 drone attacks were recorded in Colombia in 2024, most carried out by illegal armed groups. “in 2024, 115 such attacks were recorded in the country, most of them carried out by illegal armed groups” [2] | News report summarised by the digest (relayed) | context: Background on the frequency of drone attacks in Colombia. |
Not established
Whether the soldiers were on a vessel or at a checkpoint, the drone type, and the exact group responsible. The cited reports describe the blamed group only in general terms.
Authorities blamed a FARC dissident group, according to The Defense Post, and a dissident rebel group according to the second report. No group has claimed the attack in the cited reports, and the attribution is the authorities' own.
Chronology
- 12 Aug 2025: A drone loaded with explosives attacked Colombian security forces on the Naya River; three soldiers were killed and four injured, according to Navy officials. [1]
- 12 Aug 2025: The injured soldiers were taken by helicopter to Buenaventura; authorities blamed a FARC dissident group. [1]
Sources
- The Defense Post: Three Colombian Soldiers Killed in Guerrilla Drone Attack (2025-08-14, source family: colombian-navy)
https://thedefensepost.com/2025/08/14/colombia-guerrilla-drone-attack/ - Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center news digest: Three Colombian soldiers killed in attack with explosive-laden drones (2025-08-15, source family: colombian-navy)
https://mcac.maryland.gov/2025/08/three-colombian-soldiers-killed-in-attack-with-explosive-laden-drones/
How to cite
DroneLedger. “Drone attack on security forces on the Naya River in Colombia kills three soldiers; authorities blame FARC dissidents.” Dossier naya-river-colombia-drone-attack-2025-08-12, revision 1, updated 12 Oct 2026. https://droneincidents.com/incident/naya-river-colombia-drone-attack-2025-08-12/v1/
Editorial changes
- Revision 1 (2026-10-12): Curated dossier created after checking the cited sources line by line.
Evidence states: confirmed = established by the cited evidence; reported = stated by a source, not independently established; inconclusive; debunked; unknown. A claim by a party to a conflict remains a claim. Methodology: https://droneincidents.com/methodology/