18 FARC rebels killed in Colombia army air strike

A bombing raid by Colombia's army killed 18 FARC guerrillas, the deadliest attack since President Juan Manuel Santos lifted a suspension of air strikes against the group last month, an official said.  

"It is the first major blow against FARC since President Santos ordered the resumption of air strikes against the guerrillas on April 15," the Defense Ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The attack involved both military and police and took place in Guapi in the Cauca region of western Colombia, a FARC stronghold and an area popular with drug cartels.

The army targeted a unit of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) that it blames for an attack in November on Gorgona island that killed one of its lieutenants, the source said.

Thursday's air strike one of the deadliest attacks since the long-warring factions kicked off start-stop peace talks in November 2012, aimed at ending Colombia's decades-long civil conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people.

Santos lifted the air strike suspension against the group after the Marxist guerrillas were suspected in the killing of 10 soldiers in an attack last month.