Colombian forces kill 10 FARC rebels

Colombia’s military forces have killed at least 10 members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as the government continues operations against the rebel group.

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon told reporters on Thursday that the FARC members were killed in an operation which he described as “a very significant blow” to the rebel group.

Pinzon also said that Pedron Lain Parra, a regional commander, was among the victims. Parra was reportedly a key confidant of Jorge Briceno, FARC’s military chief who was killed in 2010.

The military forces carried out the operation in mountainous area of Meta Province southeast Colombia on December 22. The forces seized machine guns, rifles and communications equipment following the operation.

FARC is Latin America’s oldest insurgent group and has been fighting the government since 1964.

Bogota estimates that 600,000 people have been killed and more than 4.5 million others have been displaced due to the fighting.

The rebel organization is thought to have around 8,000 fighters operating across a large swathe of the eastern jungles of the Andean nation.