Ten FARC members killed in army operation in southwestern Colombia

Ten FARC members killed in army operation in southwestern Colombia

2011-03-25 02:20:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

CHOCO, COLOMBIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least ten militants of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on Thursday were killed during an Army operation in southwestern Colombia.

According to El Tiempo newspaper, the joint operation was conducted by the Colombian Air Force and the National Police in Chocó department. In addition to the ten casualties, four FARC members were detained.

The operation targeted the FARC's 30th front located at site known as "Tierra Virgen" which was discovered using satellite images after a two-month investigation. The armed forces' intervention was executed in early Thursday morning.

The 30th front was surprised by the operation and soldiers seized three pistols and ten AK-47 rifles from the camp. No casualties nor injured were reported by the Colombian army.

On March 16, Olidem Solarte, the leader of the FARC's 48th front militias, was killed in an operation near the Putumayo River in the municipality of San Miguel. The rebel leader was also the main contact between Mexican drug cartels and Colombia's North Valley cartels.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos labeled the operation as a major blow to the FARC militias. The president added that Solarte's drug trafficking activities helped finance FARC operations.

FARC is considered a terrorist organization by 34 states including the U.S., Canada and the European Union. The rebel group is present in 24 of the 32 departments of the South American country.

Last December, FARC informed that it has an approximate 18,000 members, half o which are part of its armed forces and the other half are involved in intelligence activities.

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