Colombia accuses Mexicans of FARC ties

BOGOTA, April 17 (UPI) -- Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Wednesday that four Mexican students killed by Colombian forces were associated by Colombian rebels.

Uribe, however, said he did not regret ordering the raid by the Colombian military into Ecuadorian territory during which the students were killed along with rebel leader Raul Reyes, El Tiempo reported online.

The four Mexicans killed in the March 1 raid were allegedly members of the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Colombian forces have been battling the rebels for more than 40 years.