Colombia’s Armed Forces Thursday killed more than 30 FARC rebels, including a commander close to the rebels’ supreme leader, Alfonso Cano, local media reported.
Even though the army confirmed the death of no more than six guerrillas, several media say a bombardement of a guerrilla camp in the central Tolima department cost the life of 30 to 40 members of the FARC.
Among those killed is ‘Jeronimo Galeano’, the commander of the FARC is south Tolima and allegedly close to ‘Alfonso Cano’, the supreme leader of the FARC since March 2008.
The offensive took place in the planadas area, on the border of the Tolima and the Huila department. Colombian authorities suspect the FARC’s most important leaders are hiding in this area.
Media differ on how many guerrillas were killed in the attack; newspaper El Tiempo reported in between 30 and 40 were killed, while El Espectador reported 40 fatalities of which the army confirmed six.
The military is expected to give a press conference Friday about the attack.