Mortar-firing Colombian rebels kill 6 police in border town attack

Colombian rebels kill 6 police in mortar attack

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombian authorities say leftist rebels firing home-made mortars killed at least six police and wounded four in a pre-dawn attack at the country’s border with Ecuador.

Police Gen. Orlando Paez says about 80 guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, attacked the police post in Puerto Colon on Friday.

The FARC and Colombia’s No. 2 rebel group, the ELN, have stepped up attacks on security forces since President Juan Manuel Santos took office Aug. 7.

At least 17 police and soldiers have been killed in the past week alone.

Santos was defense minister under his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, who weakened the rebels with billions in U.S. military aid. But many analysts believe the rebels cannot be defeated with arms alone.

(This version restores Santos’ first name, Juan). )