FARC rebels kill 5 Colombian police officers in two attacks

FARC rebels kill 5 Colombian police officers in two attacks

2011-04-28 05:02:41 GMT+7 (ICT)

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (BNO NEWS) -- Colombian rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on Tuesday night carried out two attacks in small Colombian towns, killing 5 police officers, officials said Wednesday.

Explosives were set and detonated near a police station in the town of Jambalo, Cauca, which is located in the southwestern region of Colombia on Tuesday evening. Following the explosions, FARC members stormed in the town, fighting local security forces.

According to Cauca Government Secretary Alvaro Grijalba Gomez, the explosion resulted in the death of three police officers, and as the fighting continued into Wednesday morning, the Colombian Air Force and Army were ordered to assist local police. During the attack, three civilians were also injured; among them was a 7-year-old boy.

Security forces were able to prevent FARC members to advance their attack into the municipality of Jambalo, which is predominantly made up of an indigenous community, but, grenade-type explosives damaged at least 15 houses.

Joint forces were able to contain the attack and local authorities are currently investigating the incident in which they are not ruling out a possible car bomb.

In a separate incident, two police officers were killed and another was seriously injured, when a patrol unit tried to stop a boat carrying FARC members in Andagoya, Choco. The boat was traveling on the town's San Juan river when it attacked a local police station.

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