Pubdate: Wed, 27 Feb 2002
Source: Register-Guard, The (OR)
Copyright: 2002 The Register-Guard
Contact:  http://www.registerguard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/362
Author: Susannah Nesmith, Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

ARMY DRIVES DEEP INTO FORMER REBEL HAVEN

BOGOTA, Colombia - Colombia's military pushed deeper into a former rebel 
safe haven Tuesday as guerrillas intensified sabotage attacks and 
kidnappings. The mayor of a town just outside the zone said he was the 
target of a failed assassination attempt by rebels.

Puerto Rico Mayor Walter Castro said two of his bodyguards were shot to 
death in the attack as he left the town's church. Puerto Rico's two 
previous mayors were killed by rebels.

Five other people died in separate attacks around the country blamed on the 
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Four police officers and a 
child were killed in an ambush and an attack on a small town. Two people 
were kidnapped at a FARC roadblock, army officials said.

Witnesses reported FARC rebels also killed seven civilians over the weekend 
in the town of La Macarena as the guerrillas retreated ahead of an army 
advance.

Troops moving to retake the former rebel enclave reached La Macarena, a 
dusty outpost, for the first time Tuesday and were investigating the 
reported killings, army spokesman Capt. Jorge Florez said.

Rebels, meanwhile, kept up a bombing campaign against bridges and power 
stations begun last week after President Andres Pastrana ended the peace 
process and launched the military offensive to retake the zone. The 
president ceded the area, a Switzerland-size swath of southern ranchland 
and woods, three years ago in hopes the rebels would end their 38-year war.

The government offensive was launched after Pastrana canceled the peace 
process when a popular senator was taken hostage after an airliner hijacking.

Pastrana has asked the United States to lift restrictions that allow him to 
use U.S. military assistance only in the fight against drugs. He hopes to 
win approval to use helicopters and other U.S.-donated equipment against 
the FARC.

Fleischer said the United States has legal constraints but is trying to 
determine "where we can be helpful, how we can be helpful."
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