Colombian army confirms skirmishes against dissident FARC guerrillas

The Colombian army commander General Alberto Jose Mejia confirmed Thursday that troops had been fighting dissident guerrilla fighters from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in various parts of the country.

The FARC and the government signed a peace agreement last year which involved the guerrilla group's demobilization, but some soldiers have refused to give up fighting.

"We have been carrying out, since mid-January, important operations against the dissidents. We have had battles and seized important arsenals, ammunition, explosives and anti-aircraft guns. This effort is going well," said Mejia in a press conference, adding fights had taken place in the departments of Guaviare, Putumayo and Caqueta.

Mejia added the number of armed dissidents stood at around 300, and the troops are carrying out measures to persuade the remaining fighters to disarm.

"Operations against the dissidents are ongoing and we have had half a dozen battles with them," he said.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos ordered the government army to immediately occupy the areas abandoned by the FARC to prevent them from becoming drug trafficking corridors.

A total of 65,000 soldiers and police will arrive in 120 municipalities in various parts of the country.

According to Mejia, Bogota hopes this measure will also prevent various criminal gangs from establishing themselves in these areas.

Around 200 Colombians have sought refuge in Venezuela, fleeing the violence of armed gangs, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said Thursday. Endi