Colombia kills 22 rebels

COLOMBIA:

The Colombian authorities killed Sunday at least 22 guerillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) during a raid carried out in Putumayo Department, near the border with Ecuador.

Colombian Defecse Minister Rodrigo Rivera confirmed the information and said the raid was carried out early Sunday morning joined by the Colombian Air Force, Army and National Police.

Rivera also said the raid “was totally carried out in Colombian territory” by Colombian policemen and troops.

“We are advancing on the peace’s and security’s consolidation in that department,” Rivera said.

President Juan Manuel Santos said “it was the strongest hit against this guerilla in the last times.” and “we have to continue doing these kinds of hits without trace and quarter.” Santos said this raid “shows the country that the public forces are not lowering the guard, but answering with power to the intention of hurting us, of appearing like lions when they are mice, using the terrorism to make noise,” Santos said. Bogota, Monday, Xinhua