CALI, Colombia (AFP)-Colombia on Friday promised to counter the threat from "desperate" armed groups after twin guerrilla attacks killed 19 people and deepened the country's worst security crisis in decades.

The explosive attack on a military base in Cali and the downing of a police helicopter in Antioquia, both by FARC dissidents, have highlighted the nation’s instability

At least 18 people died and more than forty were injured on Thursday after two attacks in Colombia attributed to different dissident factions of the former FARC guerrilla group, authorities reported.

Colombia on Friday promised to counter the threat from "desperate" armed groups after twin guerrilla attacks killed 19 people and deepened the country's worst security crisis in decades.