15 soldiers killed in FARC ambush in Colombia

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said on Sunday that a total of 15 soldiers died in an ambush by the guerrilla group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the northwestern department of Arauca. The soldiers were ambushed Saturday by the guerrillas when they were guarding a stretch of Bicentennial pipeline, local media report quoted Santos as saying. "The others (soldiers) resisted, the reinforcements arrived and the clashes continued, where 12 FARC members were arrested and five of them were injured," said Santos who traveled to the region on Sunday. "Our hearts are with the families of the fifteen heroes who sacrificed their lives in Arauca for the tranquillity and security of their fellow citizens," said Santos. The FARC, the largest guerrilla group in Colombia with around 8, 000 fighters, has a strong presence in the region. The Colombian government has been in peace talks with the FARC since last November in Havana, Cuba, with an agenda including disarmament, land reform and the FARC's participation in politics.