The founder and chief commander of Colombia's FARC rebel force, Manuel Marulanda, has died after more than 40 years fighting the state from jungle and mountain camps, the government said on Saturday.

The rebel group said Marulanda died of a heart attack.

A senior rebel commander known as Timochenko told the Venezuela-based Telesur network yesterday that Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda died "in the arms of his companion, surrounded by his bodyguards".

Timochenko confirmed an announcement by Colombia's Defense Ministry that Marulanda died on March 26.

He was believed to have been about 78 years old, and led Latin America's most powerful insurgency. Timochenko said the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is now led by its chief ideologist, Alfonso Cano.

Marulanda has not been seen in public since failed peace talks more than five years ago.

The legendary rebel chief either died of a heart attack, according to FARC information, or during military bombardments in late March in the southern jungles where he spent much of guerrilla life, the ministry said without providing proof.

President Alvaro Uribe, speaking to reporters, stopped short of claiming victory against the FARC. "These sources are serious, we hope," he said.

Uribe's father was killed during a botched FARC kidnapping two decades ago and he is popular for cracking down on the rebels.

A shy, peasant who once sold candy for a living, Marulanda took up arms in a left-wing insurgency fighting for social justice in the 196Os. But after four decades, the FARC has been weakened by Uribe's US-backed security campaign.

With little popular support, Marulanda's rebels have been driven into remote jungles and mountains, but remain a potent force in some areas, bolstered by funds from drug smuggling. US and EU officials list the FARC as terrorists.

Violence from the conflict has eased as Uribe, backed by billions in US military aid, has sent troops to retake areas once under guerrilla control. Often using homemade landmines and mortars, the FARC is still battling security forces.

But several top FARC commanders have been killed or captured recently as the rebels struggle against increasing military pressure and growing desertions from their ranks.

Experts said Marulanda's authority was always a cohesive element in the ranks of the FARC, which during its peak had 17,000 fighters but is now closer to 9,000 combatants.

Agencies

(China Daily 05/26/2008 page7)