Bogota - At least seven police officers were killed in south-western Colombia when leftist guerillas attacked their vehicle, authorities said Monday.

The officers were on their way back from a patrol in Valle del Cauca province when their vehicle was attacked by guerillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC), police General Gustavo Adolfo Ricaurte said.

Security forces and rebels have also been engaged in heavy fighting in other parts of the province, as police closed in on a local commander known as El Enano (the midget).

According to news reports, 25 FARC rebels were killed in fighting over the past 24 hours.

The FARC, who have been fighting the state for more than 45 years, largely finance themselves with proceeds from drug trafficking and are independent of popular support.

The Marxist guerillas have been pushed back by determined action under conservative President Alvaro Uribe, but have so far rejected negotiations and refused to renounce violence.(dpa)