FARC guerrillas confirmed yesterday that they had captured Colombian general Ruben Alzate in the Choco province of the country on the Pacific coast.

In a statement, FARC said they had been captured because "they were military personnel" who were moving "in a war zone", despite being in civilian clothes. The General was carrying out activities with special forces in the Choco region when he was captured by FARC guerrillas along with lawyer Gloria Urrego and Corporal Jorge Rodriguez Contreras.