On Wednesday, nine Colombian policemen were killed by a roadside bomb in another part of the country. The military blamed both attacks on left-wing Farc guerrillas, who have been fighting government and right-wing paramilitary forces for decades. Valle de Cauca is a centre of Colombia's lucrative cocaine trade.Army commander Gen Hernando Perez Molina said Thursday's attack on an army patrol took place at 1245 local time (0545 GMT). "We know this is Farc because it fits their modus operandi and historically they have operated in this zone," he said.
Wednesday's attack took place in Santander province, north of the capital, Bogota. It was, until Thursday's bombing in Valle de Cauca, the deadliest such attack in Colombia this year. Nine policemen were killed, including the brother of top Colombian footballer Luis Yanes, who plays for Santa Fe in Bogota.