Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, June 15, 2002
Colombian Air Force Bombing Leaves 40 Guerrillas Dead
A military bombing operation on a woodland area in the former demilitarized enclave in south of the country on Thursday left some 40 guerrillas dead, a senior military officer said Friday.
A military bombing operation on a woodland area in the former demilitarized enclave in south of the country on Thursday left some 40 guerrillas dead, a senior military officer said Friday.
Colombian Air Force aircraft detected a 300-strong unit of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) crossing the mountains in the direction of La Macarena municipality on Thursday,and started throwing bombs on them, said Air Force Commander Gen. Hector Velasco.
The guerrillas, surprised by the intense bombing, tried to hideamidst the thick forest in the outskirts of La Macarena, he said.
A helicopter pilot was wounded by the rebels during the air attack, according to Joint Chief of Staff Gen. Fernando Tapias.
La Macarena is one of the five municipalities in the 42,000-square-kilometer demilitarized zone, which was ceded to the rebelsby the government in 1998 as a venue for peace talks between the two sides.