Helicopter carrying Colombia's President Duque struck by bullets in attack

BOGOTA: Colombian President Iván Duque stated Friday that a helicopter carrying him and other senior officials was shot down near the Venezuelan border in the southern Catatumbo area, in a rare direct attack on a presidential plane.

Duque stated that everyone on board the helicopter, including himself, Defense Minister Diego Molano, Interior Minister Daniel Palacios and the governor of Norte de Santander state, Silvano Serrano was safe.

They'd just returned from an event titled "Peace with Legality, the Sustainable Catatumbo Chapter."

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The Colombian air force chopper has many bullet holes, according to a video shared by the president.

Duque did not mention the timing of the attack or who he believes was carried it out, but the area is known to be home to various armed organisations.

The president stated that despite the "cowardly" attack, he will continue to fight drug trafficking, terrorism, and organised crime.

After a car bomb attack on a military base on June 14 that injured 36 people, including military and civilians, Cúcuta where the flight was headed, was already on security alert.

Colombian authorities have not confirmed who carried out the attack, but have suspected that it was carried out by dissidents from the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or the insurgent National Liberation Army.

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