Colombian rebels tell six mayors to abandon posts

The Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Colombia's main rebel group ordered the mayor, city council members and police chief of the biggest town inside a former rebel safe haven to abandon their posts or face attack, officials said Wednesday.

"For your physical integrity, we need you to leave town, otherwise you will be considered a military target," the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, said in a letter to city officials in San Vicente de Caguan.

Five mayors of other towns in Colombia have submitted resignation letters after receiving threats from the FARC. It was not immediately clear why the mayors were threatened, but there were unconfirmed reports the rebels had accused some mayors of being allied with a right-wing paramilitary group.