Colombia to pay rebel for killing leader

BOGOTA, March 15 (UPI) -- Colombia has decided to pay a leftist rebel $2.5 million for killing his leader, said Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos Friday.

Pedro Pablo Montoya, who last week killed Ivan Rios, a leader in the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, surrendered to authorities before officials decided that he could collect on the bounty for Rios, El Tiempo reported online.

The Colombian government often pays informants for information leading to the capture of FARC leaders.

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