Colombia's security forces kill FARC dissident leader

He was the intellectual author behind a car bomb in the town of Corinto last year, as well as an attack against two police officers in Santander de Quilichao last weekend, among other incidents, the national police said in a statement.

Colombia's security forces on Monday killed a leading member of the so-called FARC dissidents in the south west of the Andean country, during an operation in Cauca province, President Ivan Duque said. Euclides Espana, better known as Jhonnier, was a top leader among a dissident faction of the demobilized Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), led by Gentil Duarte, which rejects a 2016 peace deal with the government.

"Whoever commits the crime will pay the price," Duque said in a video message, accompanied by Defense Minister Diego Molano, as well as Colombia's police and military leaders. "Today, alias Jhonnier, the symbol of evil in southwestern Colombia and important FARC dissident leader, was neutralized," he added.

Espana commanded seven groups of FARC dissidents which belonged to a faction led by Duarte, according to Colombia's national police. He was the intellectual author behind a car bomb in the town of Corinto last year, as well as an attack against two police officers in Santander de Quilichao last weekend, among other incidents, the national police said in a statement.