Colombia: February 6, 2002

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The FARC and ELN rebels have begun setting up operations in the cities, and in response the government gathered information and arrested 39 suspected rebels in several cities. The government wants to get the leftist rebels out of the cities because their presence brings in the rightist AUC militia, who don't arrest suspected rebels, but simply kill them. Meanwhile, in response to a government demand for a ceasefire and a stop to FARC kidnappings and extortion, the rebels have demanded that anti-FARC officers be purged from the army, US military advisors leave the country and the government join the FARC in fighting the anti-leftist AUC. Ultimately, the FARC wants to take over the government and establish a socialist dictatorship.