Ecuador arrests Colombia rebel suspects

QUITO, Ecuador, March 7 (UPI) -- Ecuador has arrested several suspected Colombian rebels following last week's incursion into Ecuadorian territory by Colombian forces to kill a rebel leader.

The suspected leftist rebels were detained by members of the Ecuadorian military, said officials at the country's defense ministry, El Comercio reported Friday.

Diplomatic ties between neighboring nations Ecuador and Colombia were severed by Quito earlier this week after Ecuador learned that Colombian forces crossed the border to kill rebel leader Raul Reyes and 16 other members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Quito has since sent troops to its border with Colombia.

FARC has been battling Colombian forces for more than 40 years.