Fighting in Colombia Kills 27 Gunmen
Government forces battled rebels and right-wing paramilitaries in several locations in heavy fighting that killed 27 gunmen and two soldiers, the army said Monday. Government troops killed 17 paramilitary fighters of the right-wing United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, in a rural area outside the town of Orocue in the central state of Casanare. The AUC proposed to disarm its 13,000 troops by the end of 2005 as part of a unilateral ceasefire it announced just under a year ago. But despite the truce, paramilitaries are still fighting and the Colombian military continues operations against them. Full Story