It was the single most deadly attack on the Colombian armed forces since the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaFARC or FARC-EP, is either a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization or a drug cartel based in Colombia. It claims to represent the rural poor in a struggle against Colombia's wealthier classes, and opposes United States influence in Colombia, neo-imperialism, monopolization of natural resources by multinational corporations, and the usual raft of complaints. It funds itself principally through ransom kidnappings, taxation of the drug trade, extortion, shakedowns, and
donations. It has lately begun calling itself
Bolivarianand is greatly admired by Venezuela's President-for-Life Chavez, who seemingly fantasizes about living in the woods and kidnapping people himself. He provides FARC with safe areas along the border.
, or FARC, declared a unilateral cease-fire Dec. 20.
The attack was carried out against the military garrison by members of FARC's mobile "Miller Perdomo" unit active in the area, according to reports being released from the affected area, on the outskirts of Timba, about 30 miles south of the industrial and commercial hub of Cali.
"I lament the death of the soldiers in Cauca. This is precisely the war which we wish to bring to an end," said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos via his Twitter account. "With the military high command we will establish the circumstances around this event and I will travel today to the area," he continued.
Gen. Mario Valencia, commander of the Colombian army's third division, speaking at a presser in Cali said the soldiers were attacked with "explosives, grenades and firearms," and that it was not an ambush.