Colombia confirms killing of FARC security chief

Colombian authorities announced on Monday that they had killed Ernesto Hurtado Penaloza, the head of security for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group. Penaloza, also known as "el Negro Eliecer," was in charge of the security detail for the FARC's top commander Rodrigo Londono Echeverri, known by his nom de guerre "Timochenko,"said Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon. "Following a special operation by our military and police forces, this person was shot down, along with a woman guerrilla who served as the chief of finances for the faction managed by 'el Negro Eliecer'." According to the Colombian official, the two FARC leaders were killed in a clash with authorities in the countryside around the town of Hacari, which is near the border with Venezuela, in northeastern Norte de Santander department (state). He did not specify when the two were killed.