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Colombian forces kill lead FARC commander

Leftist rebel slain near long-time guerrilla stronghold, official says

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updated 11:45 a.m. ET March 1, 2008

BOGOTA, Colombia - Colombia's defense minister said security forces killed a leading commander of the FARC rebel group on Saturday.

The commander known as "Raul Reyes" was also the leftist rebels' official spokesman, Juan Manuel Santos said a news conference. He was killed in the southern province of Putumayo, a long-time guerrilla stronghold near the border with Ecuador.

It was by far the most severe blow to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia since hard-line President Alvaro Uribe took office in 2002. A total of 17 rebels and one soldier were killed in the fighting.

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As well as writing the group's statements and meeting with journalists, Reyes, whose real name was Luis Edgar Devia Silva, was considered a contender to take over the FARC, Colombia's largest rebel group. He was thought to be 59 years old.

The State Department had offered a bounty of $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Reyes.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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