Rebel strike kills 11 Colombian troops – army

BOGOTA – Marxist FARC rebels attacked a Colombian army unit Saturday and killed 11 soldiers, the army said.

The troops were hit by an “indiscriminate” strike by rebels with the 10th front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Arauca department, in the east of Colombia, the army said.

A mid-ranking official and 10 privates were killed while two others were injured, the statement said.

The FARC officially renounced abduction of civilians late last month, but still holds 10 members of Colombian security forces, though it has pledged to release them soon.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he will open a direct dialogue with the FARC only when all hostages are released and the group vows to cease “terrorist” actions. He also wants the FARC to stop recruiting children.

The FARC, believed to have 8,000 members, has been at war with the government since 1964. It began a campaign of kidnappings in the mid-1980s, seizing army hostages to serve as bargaining chips for FARC prisoners.