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Eight people have been killed in an air strike conducted by the Colombian armed forces targeting the Gulf Clan, the country’s largest criminal gang, according to President Abelardo de la Espriella. A senior leader of the syndicate was among those killed in the operation.
Targeting a Priority Gang Leader
President de la Espriella stated that he personally authorized the bombing in the province of Antioquia, located in north-west Colombia. He announced that Haminton Mosquera, identified as a senior gang member and one of ten priority targets for Colombian security forces, had been neutralized.
Elected in June on a platform promising a crackdown on powerful criminal organizations through measures including air strikes, the president utilized social media to share details of the operation. Writing on X, he noted that Mosquera was suspected of ordering attacks against security personnel, which included the killing of a police officer in the municipality of Tarazá in the previous year.
Criminal Operations and Government Stance
The Gulf Clan has operated for decades, focusing primarily on smuggling cocaine from Colombia to the United States and Europe, alongside participating in illegal mining and human smuggling. Last year, the United States designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation.
Following the recent strike, President de la Espriella declared that the offensive would continue and pledged to restore state control over territories currently dominated by criminal groups like the Gulf Clan.
Public Reaction and Presidential Conduct
While the crackdown on gangs has drawn support from residents suffering under extortion and violence, the president has faced scrutiny over his communication methods regarding security operations. Shortly after assuming office, he released a video featuring 23 body bags of individuals killed in an air strike on a suspected guerrilla camp.
On Wednesday, the president posted a photograph showing him writing his campaign slogan, “Welcome to the miracle homeland,” directly onto a bomb. He has also defended wearing a military uniform at a recent event in Cúcuta, where he directly questioned a detainee suspected of being a Farc rebel.
Addressing reporters regarding his attire, the president explained that he wears the uniform because he serves as a soldier of the homeland dedicated to honoring military and police heroes.
