Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos says the FARC attack which has killed at least six policemen in the Putumayo department will only strengthen his determination to beat the rebels.
“If they think that attacks like this are going to weaken us then they are wrong from beginning to end. Quite the contrary; this is what fills us with more determination, more force.”
Santos declared that the government will not rest for a single moment until the whole country is at peace.
The fighting began around 4AM Friday when the FARC tried to take San Miguel, which is close to the border with Ecuador.
According to reports, the Colombian army is still engaged in combat with the guerrillas, who are believed to belong to the FARC’s 15th and 48th Fronts. Six policemen are known to be dead, and four injured.
This is the latest in a series of attacks that have been carried out over the last week, killing more than 30 members of the Colombian armed forces.
Following the spate of attacks, the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos has categorically ruled out peace talks with Colombian rebel groups. Santos took office August 7 amid FARC peace overtures, after eight years of rebel losses under former President Alvaro Uribe’s hardline anti-insurgent policies.