Colombian troops killed in ambush

By Jeremy McDermott
BBC, Medellin

Colombian guerrillas have ambushed a military patrol, killing 13 troops and wounding another eight, in the northern province of Bolivar.

The conflict has continued for 39 years

Five rebels were also killed in the attack.

The government of President Alvaro Uribe has taken the offensive against the rebels, who control some 40% of the country, but they refuse to be cowed and are fighting back.

The guerrillas of the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, waited until the last vehicle in the marine convoy passed into the ambush zone, then opened fire with machineguns and home-made mortars.

The trapped soldiers fought back and managed to get themselves out of the killing zone but the casualties were heavy and by the time reinforcements arrived, the rebels had melted away.

Rebels resilient

The northern province of Bolivar, where the attack took place, is one of the zones designated by the government for reconquest from the warring factions.

Great progress has been made in security in the violence-wracked area, but the guerrillas refuse to back down.

Supported by the United States to the tune of some $300m a year, President Uribe has decided that the only thing the guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries understand is the use of force.

He has increased the defence budget to unprecedented levels and is seeking to strengthen the historically weak presence of the state across the country.

And Colombians are supporting him, with approval ratings at over 60%.

But the 17,000 strong FARC has seen 10 presidents come and go in its 39-year war to overthrow the state and they are planning to wait out Mr Uribe's four-year term.

They emerge only occasionally from their jungle and mountain strongholds for hit-and-run attacks, avoiding direct confrontation with the newly invigorated security forces.

So the bloodshed looks set to continue, if not increase.