Colombia's top Farc commander 'is dead'

Bogota: The founder and top commander of Colombia's Farc rebel force has died after more than 40 years fighting the state, the government said on Saturday.

The death of Manuel Marulanda, known as Sureshot, would be the heaviest blow suffered by Latin America's oldest surviving insurgency.

The Defence Ministry said in a statement that they knew of the rebel leader's death through military intelligence, although the cause of death has yet to be confirmed.

Specualtion that Marulanda had died or fallen seriously ill have surfaced before, but they have never been confirmed.

He was in his late 70s and has not been seen in public since failed peace talks more than five years ago.

The guerrilla chief either died of a heart attack, according to rebel information, or during military bombardments in late March, the ministry said.