Colombia: November 16, 2004

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 The year long offensive by the army and police is hitting the FARC, ELN and AUC rebel organizations harder than anything they have experienced before. Several highly competent counter-terrorist battalions move around the country carrying out raids on long secure rebel camps. Police and prosecutors go after rebel assets, built up over decades of stealing and drug dealing. The three rebel organizations have a payroll of nearly 40,000, and are starting to have cashflow problems. The three rebel groups are actually collections of dozens of smaller factions, and some of these are starting to move away from central control. This is because some factions are being asked to stick their necks out to help another faction that is being hammered by the army and police. Giving such help is expensive and dangerous, and some of the factions would rather resist and desist than help.