The Colombian army has killed a commander of the FARC’s 10th front in the eastern province of Arauca, reported local media Sunday.
FARC commander William Alexander Salazar Acosta, better known by his aliases, “David” and “Chocha Linda,” was the latest victim of the armed forces’ offensive against the guerrillas. The fighting reportedly took place in the town of La Gloria, not far from the Venezuelan border.
The commander of the Army’s 8th division, General Ernesto Maldonado Guarnizo, claimed Salazar was responsible for a series of bomb attacks on Arauca’s electrical infrastructure and the murder of several soldiers.
The general also confirmed that his men managed to capture two other guerrillas, including a Venezuelan national. Authorities allegedly seized three rifles, ammunition and explosives following the firefight.
The 10th Front of the FARC, estimated to have 300 armed members and commanded by “Efren,” is considered to be active in areas close to the Venezuelan border.
The Arauca department has increasingly been the target of guerrilla attacks in the past few years due to its oil reserves. The government claims 90 FARC rebels have been captured in the province in the first half of 2012, while citing 16 more that have voluntarily demobilized.
Danilo Benavidez, alias “Carracho,” the alleged financial and logistical head of the FARC’s 10th Front, was captured in Bogota in mid-August.
