Claims have emerged that FARC's spiritual leader and founder Pedro Antonio Marín, alias ‘Manuel Marulanda’ or ‘Sure Shot’ may be dead.
The news was reported in Colombia's Semana magazine and if true represents another shattering blow to the crumbling edifice of the leftwing guerrilla organization.
Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos announced in the interview that military intelligence sources had confirmed that the FARC number one died on 26th March at 6.30 in the afternoon.
Minister Santos confirmed that heavy aerial bombardments had been underway for days on presumed guerrilla targets around this date although FARC sources are said to have reported an apparent heart attack as cause of death.
With the veracity of the reports and cause - if any - of death yet to be confirmed, Colombia sits on a knife edge.
Marulanda has led the FARC since it's beginnings 45 years ago and is thought to be nearly in his 80s. With desertions at an all-time high and several high-ranking captains captured or killed, this latest blow could be the beginning of the end for the rebel group.
