Colombia: Forces kill FARC rebel leader

Colombian forces killed the FARC rebel leader, Alfonso Cano, in combat, delivering another big blow to Latin Americas longest guerrilla insurgency, the Defence Ministry said.The FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, has been battered by a US-backed military campaign started in 2002 and the waning insurgency has lost several key commanders in the past four years.The death of Cano, who took over leadership of the rebels after their founder died in 2008, is a strategic victory for President Juan Manuel Santos, who came to office last year promising to keep up a hard-line stance against the guerrillas. Canos death followed the killing late last year of top FARC military commander Mono Jojoy in a bombardment and assault on his camp.The strike against Cano underscored how Colombias military can now attack rebel leaders deep in mountains and jungles. While unlikely to bring a swift end to nearly five decades of war, Canos death will further damage the rebel groups ability to regroup and coordinate high-profile attacks.