Colombia Airstrike Kills 8 Drug Gang Members

Colombia: Security

President Abelardo de la Espriella said on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, that a military airstrike in rural Tarazá, in Antioquia department, killed eight members of the Clan del Golfo, a drug-trafficking armed group that the United States lists as a terrorist organisation. He said it was the eighth bombing his government has carried out since he took office.

Colombia’s new government has used airpower again against the Clan del Golfo, and the strike reportedly killed one of its most wanted commanders.

What the President Announced

In a post on X, De la Espriella wrote that an operation code-named Nehemías hit the “Manuel Alexander Ariza Gutiérrez” unit of the Clan del Golfo in rural Tarazá. He said Colombia’s Army carried it out, with intelligence from the National Police and support from the Colombian Air Force.

The president said eight people died, among them Haminton Mosquera, alias “Negro Perea”, one of the ten priority commanders on the government’s target list. He also reported that troops seized five rifles, two pistols, four anti-personnel mines and communications equipment, and destroyed a camp.

Who Was Negro Perea

The president said Mosquera answered directly to “Gonzalito”, whom he described as one of the group’s bosses, and was accused of ordering killings, forced displacement and attacks on the security forces, including the murder of a police patrolman in Tarazá in 2025. He added that Mosquera had more than 20 years in crime, and authorities had offered a reward of up to 2.018 billion Colombian pesos (about US$615,000, at roughly 3,280 pesos per dollar on 11 November) for his capture.

The Clan del Golfo, also known as the Gulf Clan, is a drug-trafficking armed group. The US State Department designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization in December 2025.

A Campaign of Airstrikes

According to the government, the Tarazá operation is the eighth bombing ordered by De la Espriella, who took office in August 2026. That is eight airstrikes in under 100 days, against several armed groups.

Our earlier reporting covers the arrest of another Clan del Golfo chief in the Toro capture story. A profile of the president is in our guide to Abelardo de la Espriella.

What Is Not Known

The death toll and the identity of Negro Perea come from the president’s announcement, and independent confirmation has not been published. The names of the other seven dead, and whether any of them were minors or civilians, are not yet public.

What It Means for Readers in the United States

For US readers the direct link is policy, because the Clan del Golfo sits on Washington’s terrorist list and the strikes show how hard Colombia’s new government intends to push against it. Two things to watch are whether officials publish the identities of the dead and whether the group answers with attacks on soldiers or police.

More security and politics coverage is in our Colombia section. It includes the earlier story on warrants reactivated against three Clan del Golfo bosses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened in Tarazá?

President De la Espriella said an airstrike on a Clan del Golfo camp in rural Tarazá, Antioquia, killed eight members. He said he authorised the operation on 10 November 2026.

Who is alias Negro Perea?

Haminton Mosquera, alias Negro Perea, is a Clan del Golfo commander who the president says was among the dead. Authorities had offered up to 2.018 billion Colombian pesos (about US$615,000) for his capture.

What is the Clan del Golfo?

It is a Colombian armed group, also called the Gulf Clan, involved in drug trafficking. The US designated it a terrorist organisation in December 2025.