Colombian authorities capture 26 rebels, gang members

Twenty-six members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and "Los Urabenos" criminal gang were captured in the last 24 hours in different operations, Colombia's Ministry of Defense said on Saturday. According to the ministry, the captured were eleven members of FARC's support network, twelve members of "Los Urabenos" and three kidnappers who had been at large since early February, Colombia's Caracol radio network reported. The Colombian Ministry of Defense also said that a total of 80 members of "Los Urabenos" were captured during the last eight days thanks to the work of different units of the national police. The eleven FARC members who were captured in the Colombian southwestern Cauca department were responsible for the plan and execution of local terrorist attacks, civilians intimidation and ambushes against police force. FARC's leader Alexander Forero Betancourt, alias Alex, was captured in the country's southwestern region, while the members of "Los Urabenos" were arrested in Codazzi (Cesar) and Riohacha (Guajira) during coordinated operations. According to a police report, six tons of marijuana and half a ton of cocaine were seized during the operations.