Colombian kidnappers kill three policemen

Fighters from Colombia's largest rebel group have killed three policemen and kidnapped at least 11 civilians over the weekend.

Separately, gunmen abducted a judge and three lawyers in Antioquia province north of Bogota, the army said.

It wasn't immediately clear who the captors were.

Yesterday, about 50 fighters from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) besieged the town of Paujil in Caqueta province, National Police deputy director General Alfredo Salgado said.

Three police officers were killed and two injured during a three-hour battle with the rebels in the town 155 miles south of the capital, he said.

Fighters from Farc also abducted eight truck drivers after setting up a roadblock in Casanare province. In the same region, the rebel army also kidnapped three technicians from a national radio and television institute.

On Sunday, gunmen abducted a local judge and three lawyers from a park outside Caldas, 215 miles north of Bogota, army spokesman Captain Jorge Florez said.

Guerrillas have battled the government and a rival right-wing paramilitary army for 37 years. About 3,500 people are typically killed every year.

Last week, a 28-year-old Briton was killed after being abducted by a smaller rebel group, the National Liberation Army.

Leftist guerrillas are blamed for most of last year's 3,700 kidnappings in Colombia. The ransoms help fund their insurgency.