Colombian troops overrun Marxist rebel camp, kill 16

Reuters ^ | 06 Sep 2003

[Tailgunner Joe]

Colombian troops backed by helicopters stormed a Marxist rebel camp in the country's northeast, killing 16 guerrillas, the army commander said on Saturday.

Troops, following orders to crack down on Colombia's confusing array of illegal armed groups, also gunned down six far-right militiamen in Santander province, Gen. Carlos Alberto Ospina told local television.

Troops overran a camp used by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- a Marxist rebel army known as FARC -- in Chita, Boyaca province, about 200 miles (300 km) northeast of Colombia's Andean mountain capital Bogota.

"Sixteen FARC bandits were killed," Ospina said. "Their equipment was captured. They were guarding the biggest camp they've got in that area."

He said the operation was continuing but provided no details about how many more rebels were in the area.

With enthusiastic U.S. support, President Alvaro Uribe has boosted defense spending and pressured military commanders to hunt down rebels. But big victories against the 17,000-strong FARC have been few and far between, prompting analysts to wonder whether the guerrillas are in tactical retreat, or suffering from the military onslaught and government-ordered destruction of drug crops they rely on for money.

[Tailgunner Joe]

Ex-Colombian investigator gunned down by hitmen - 05 Sep 2003

German Camacho, who resigned from the state prosecution service a month ago after participating in the probe into the bombing of an exclusive Bogota social club which killed 35 people in February, was shot several times outside his home in a wealthy part of northern Bogota...

Terrorist Regime

[concerned about politics]

Colombian troops backed by helicopters stormed a Marxist rebel camp in the country's northeast, killing 16 guerrillas, the army commander said on Saturday.

Troops, following orders to crack down on Colombia's confusing array of illegal armed groups, also gunned down six far-right militiamen in Santander province, Gen. Carlos Alberto Ospina told local television.

In America, the Marxist are the far-left wing.
Why would Mexico kill far-right militia guys? Do they not try to fight the Marxists like we do in the U.S.?

[livius]

Glad they got some of them! Attacks like this are the only thing that's going to wipe out FARC. Giving them a large part of the country (as happened under Bill C. and Pastrana) sure didn't do it.

[Tailgunner Joe]

The anti-communist paramilitaries also fund their activities by dealing drugs, and are guilty of the usual massacres. In Colombia, they are considered part of the problem.

[livius]

Some of the militias - which were originally self-defense forces hired by ranchers and oil installations in the FARC zone - are now nothing but free-lance criminals, and highly involved in the drug biz.

Many of the "legitimate" militia groups have trusted the Uribe government's resolve to overcome FARC with state military force, and have laid down their arms. As they say, it's confusing.

[Bon mots]

We have Marxists too.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[wizardoz]

Q: What do you call 16 dead FARC guerillas?

A: An excellent start.

[menotyu]

I'm suprised more of these guys don't wind up dead. How do they stay hidden in the jungle with Yellow, blue, and red shirts on? LOL

All right, score one for the good guys, ok the sort of good guys,ok ok those other Colombian guys that aren't quite as bad, but are in some ways just as bad as the other guys who aren't quite as bad as the other guys in other ways! Yeah !!!

[FreeAtlanta]

Daschele and Hillary are deeply troubled and saddened over this....

[Let's Roll]

"Daschele and Hillary are deeply troubled and saddened over this...."

They always hate to lose constituents.

[El Conservador]

1) That's not a shirt, that's a bracelet

2) Yellow, blue and red are the colors of the Colombian flag, which you can see at my profile.

It's a good day for the Colombia Armed Forces.

[El Conservador]

Why would Mexico kill far-right militia guys?

Damn, now I find out I'm Mexican!!! (/sarcasm off)

[Mortimer Snavely]

Read your home page, and a belated welcome to the US of A. Hope you become a citizen soon.

Love your tagline, and I think I'll make a bumper sticker of it.