At least eight suspected members of Colombia’s powerful Gulf Clan criminal organisation have been killed in a military air strike in the country’s northwestern Antioquia region.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella confirmed the operation on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, saying he personally authorised the military action targeting the armed group’s structure in the rural municipality of Tarazá.
Among those killed was Haminton Mosquera, popularly known as ‘Negro Perea’, identified by the government as a senior commander of the criminal organisation and one of Colombia’s ten priority security targets.
According to the president, Mosquera was suspected of coordinating attacks against security forces, including the killing of a police officer in Tarazá in 2025.
The operation, conducted with the support of the Colombian Armed Forces and Air Force, also targeted facilities allegedly used by the group for its criminal activities.
Authorities reported recovering firearms, explosives, anti-personnel mines and communication equipment during the operation.
President De la Espriella described the strike as part of his administration’s intensified campaign against organised crime, drug trafficking and armed groups operating across the country.
He also vowed that military operations would continue until the government regains control of territories affected by criminal organisations.
The Gulf Clan, also known as Clan del Golfo, is considered Colombia’s largest criminal organisation, with operations linked to cocaine trafficking, illegal mining, extortion and human smuggling.
The latest air strike comes amid escalating security challenges in Colombia, as the government intensifies its military offensive against armed criminal groups.
However, the reported death toll remains based on the government’s preliminary announcement.
