Colombian troops killed at least 22 Farc guerrillas in a raid on their jungle camp yesterday in the latest violence since president Juan Manuel Santos took office in August.
Colombia's war had ebbed as the government's US-backed security campaign battered leftist rebels and cocaine traffickers. But attacks and clashes have increased over the last three weeks as the Farc tried a show of strength.
Mr Santos has promised to keep up his predecessor's hardline on security, which resulted in a sharp fall in bombings, kidnappings and attacks and an increase in foreign investment to a country once seen as a failing state mired in violence.
Yesterday's bombardment and special forces assault took place in Putumayo province, once a Farc stronghold and a cocaine hotspot near the remote jungle frontier with Ecuador.
"This is a severe blow to the 48th front of the Farc," defence minister Rodrigo Rivera said in a declaration to Mr Santos's broadcast on radio. "The operation continues, and so far the toll is 22 narco-terrorists taken out."
The latest violence is an attempt by Farc to show its presence before a new government, but also illustrates its struggle as rebels try to draw troops away from areas where the military is closely pursuing two top commanders, analysts say.
In recent attacks, the Farc killed 14 officers with a rocket attack on their patrol and used improvised mortars to attack a town where they killed at least six police officers in the area where yesterday's raid took place.
Battered by the loss of chief commanders and desertions, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or Farc is at its weakest in decades. The latest assaults have had less impact than any during its heyday when hundreds of rebels were able to overrun towns and kidnap politicians almost at will.
Foreign investment flows to Colombia have increased five-fold since 2002 when former president Alvaro Uribe began his tough line against the rebels. Foreign direct investment is expected to reach around $10 billion this year, much of it in oil and mining that have benefited from improved security.
While still a force in remote areas, the Farc now resorts to ambushes and improvised landmines to harry troops and protect its coca leaf crops used to make cocaine. Rebels are also increasingly working with criminal gangs involved in drug trafficking, providing authorities will a new challenge.
"That they resort to these tactics shows their inability to operate as they did in 2000 when they could focus fighters around a town, and maintain an assault for hours," security analyst Roman Ortiz wrote in El Tiempo newspaper yesterday.
"Farc commanders have ordered an intensification of operations at the start of the new government. But it is evident these actions are individual actions against targets of opportunity easily within their reach."
Reuters