Colombia battle leaves 110 dead

Residents in remote village flee as rebels, paramilitary fight

ASSOCIATED PRESS

May 6, 2002

QUIBDO, Colombia— The death toll in an isolated village where rebels and paramilitaries were battling rose to 110 — including 40 children — while troops began to move into the region.

The higher death toll was announced by Interior Minister Armando Estrada. On Sunday, President Andres Pastrana had visited the area and said the dead included infants, children and old people.

U.N. officials said they warned the government that a tragedy was about to occur before the fighting started.

"It’s lamentable that the government authorities ignored the early warning," the United Nations said in a prepared statement.

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