54 Colombian Officers, Soldiers Killed By Rebels

CARACAS, Venezuela -- In the Colombian military's bloodiest setback this
year, left-wing guerrillas killed 54 members of the army and national
police during a three-day battle in a rugged northwestern state, officials
reported Friday. Almost half of those killed died when a U.S.-made Black
Hawk helicopter crashed after being hit by guerrilla fire.

The clashes occurred in the lush mountains of Antioquia as the Colombian
army moved to take back a strategic arms- and drug-trafficking route from
the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Though Colombian
military officials said Friday that the region had been captured, no FARC
casualties were reported and area residents said the guerrillas still
control key towns.

As army forces attempted to recover the crashed aircraft Friday amid
continued fighting, Colombian military officials acknowledged that the
UH-60 Black Hawk had been hit by guerrilla gunfire but attributed the crash
to an accident. Eighteen army troops and four crewman died.

The deaths comes as U.S. and Colombian officials consider how best to
outfit the large, swift transport helicopters to perform in war zones. The
U.S. government is sending 15 Black Hawks to the Colombian army and
national police as part of its $1.3 billion contribution to Plan Colombia,
President Andres Pastrana's three-year strategy to cut coca production in half.

The helicopters will be used to ferry U.S.-trained anti-drug battalions
into coca-rich regions, many of them controlled by guerrilla forces that
finance their operations through the drug trade. The downed helicopter was
not part of the U.S. package, but one of 19 purchased by the Colombian
government to support anti-drug efforts.

Before the plan's military operations begin in December, the FARC and its
privately funded paramilitary rival, the United Self-Defense Forces, have
been moving to fortify their positions in Antioquia and in southern states
where most of the military might will be directed. The FARC's 500-troop
assault on Dabeiba, about 80 miles northwest of Medellin, and surrounding
towns was part of that offensive.

On Wednesday, rebel fighters launched simultaneous attacks on Dabeiba and
on Bagado, a town in Choco state. Seventeen police officers stationed there
were missing Friday, police Gen. Ismael Trujillo said.

Another 30 soldiers died in ground combat Thursday trying to retake
Dabeiba, and two police officers were killed defending the town. Rebel
casualty reports were not immediately available.

Dabeiba lay in ruins Friday.

While attacking in the north, FARC rebels maintained a month-old armed road
blockade that has paralyzed a key southern state, Putumayo, and sent
several hundred refugees fleeing into neighboring Ecuador.

This article includes material from The Associated Press.