Bogota  - Three military and two police officers were killed Friday in an ambush by leftist rebels in the north-western province of Choco, on the border with Panama, officials said.

Choco police chief Coronel Javier Herrera said army and police were patrolling the area between Quibdo town and Tutunedo, one of the poorest regions in the country.

The patrol was attacked by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Herrera said.

In a separate incident, rebels detonated a bomb that caused severe damage to the Pan-American highway in the south-western province of Cauca, leading to a massive traffic disruption for several hours.

The highway was likely to be fully repaired in three days. (dpa)