Guerrilla commander, two fighters shot in raid in northern Colombia

Colombian troops shot dead early on 25 August three fighters of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) including one identified as head of Front 57 and a key drug trafficker for the FARC, in a raid on a camp near Panama's border, agencies reported on 26 August. Authorities regularly accuse the FARC of producing and trafficking drugs - this being with extortion among their funding mechanisms - and the FARC occasionally reject the charge. The Defence Ministry identified the commander, a man dubbed Sílver, as involved in sending drugs into Panama, the Telam and EFE agencies reported. The daily El Tiempo observed that Sílver was dubbed the capo of the FARC and that the state believed him to have amply financed the FARC Secretariat with drug funds. The Army separately reported on 25 August that a member of the FARC's Front 41 surrendered to troops in the district of Agustín Codazzi in the northern state of César, asking to be admitted into the rehabilitation programme for guerrillas. The fighter was dubbed Geiner or Checho and described as 28 years old. In the eastern city of Cúcuta, Police detained during undated raids 10 suspected members of the Rastrojos, one of the country's main criminal gangs, Caracol radio reported on 26 August. The broadcaster cited the city's police chief Colonel Carlos Rodríguez as saying that the 10 were were believed engaged in local drug dealing and extortion, and would be investigated for possible involvement in killings.