A FARC guerrilla ringleader was killed during a military operation in southern Colombia on Monday.
Ramiro Guerrero Vargas, also known as “Samuel”, was the second in command and chief financial officer of the third front of Colombia’s largest guerrilla group.
Samuel was killed in an operation carried out by the 12th Brigade of the Army in La Montañita, a municipality in the southern Caqueta department.
The veteran rebel fighter allegedly spent 21 years of his life in the FARC – during which time he was accused of multiple terrorist actions including two which resulted in the deaths of 13 policemen.
Samuel is believed to have led an operation in 2001 against the town of Bethlehem, Andaquies where five policemen were killed and seven others were wounded.
In 2010 he led an attack against the village of San Miguel, in the department of Putumayo, resulting in the death of eight policemen.
During the operation in Caqueta military also managed to capture another guerrilla and seize weapons.