Colombia's armed forces killed 12 leftist guerrillas yesterday in an early morning raid on rebels in a northwestern mountainous region of the Andean nation, President Alvaro Uribe said.
Rebels continue to stage attacks, but violence is down after a US-backed military offensive under Mr Uribe pushed illegal armed groups into remote regions of the country.
"Today at four in the morning after a great action by intelligence and the Colombian air forces, 12 bandits were killed and six captured," Mr Uribe told reporters.
He said Farc guerrilla leaders had sent rebels to retake an area between Sucre and Bolivar states, about 580 km from the Colombian capital Bogota.
Mr Uribe steps down in August after two terms in office marked by a hard-line stance against guerrillas, drug barons and paramilitary groups. Improved security has drawn billions of dollars in foreign investment into Colombia.
President-elect Juan Manuel Santos will take over next month and has vowed to continue Mr Uribe's security and pro-investment policies.
Reuters