A CAR bomb and a separate attack on a police helicopter in Colombia have killed at least 17 people. 

President Gustavo Petro attributed both of Thursday’s attacks to dissidents of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc).

At least 12 police officers died in the attack on a helicopter that, according to authorities, was transporting personnel to an area in Antioquia, northern Colombia, to eradicate crops of coca leaf, the raw material for cocaine. 

Mr Petro initially reported that eight officers had been killed, but Antioquia Governor Andres Julian said that four others had died later and three remain injured.

Posting on X, Mr Julian said that a drone had attacked the helicopter as it flew over coca leaf crops. Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez cited preliminary information indicating that the attack caused a fire in the aircraft.

Meanwhile, authorities in the south-western city of Cali reported that a vehicle loaded with explosives had detonated near a military aviation school, killing five people and injuring more than 30.

The president initially blamed the Gulf Clan, Colombia’s largest active drug cartel, for the attack on the helicopter.

He said an alleged member of the dissident group had been arrested in the area of the explosion.