On February 25, 2026, Colombian authorities raided an IED workshop in Usme, Bogotá, reportedly operated by the National Liberation Army (ELN).
A wide range of materials and equipment consistent with semi-industrial IED fabrication, including grenade bodies, cylindrical, spherical and oval metal containers, launcher components, ammunition, notebooks, digital devices, and technical documentation was seized at the site.
The recovered notebooks contained hand-drawn schematics, technical notes, and maps, as well as diagrams depicting IED configurations and improvised launcher systems.
Of particular significance was the recovery of multiple spherical and oval metal IED casings described as capable of containing approximately 2 kg of explosive material.
Additional reporting on similar “balloon bomb” IEDs found in caches and launchers – potentially linked to the same production network – indicates these munitions can be launched via improvised systems to distances of approximately 300–350 m.
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