Colombian police search for FARC leader

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BOGOTA, July 4 (UPI) -- Colombian authorities are searching for an alleged guerrilla army leader after he escaped an attack by Colombian armed forces, officials said.

Some-6,000 members of Colombia's National Police are looking for the leader of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Alfonso Cano, El Tiempo reported Monday.

The group is better known by its Spanish acronym FARC.

Cano allegedly fled his camp Thursday hours before an attack by Colombian forces on his camp near Chaparral, a town in the south of the Tolima department.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said armed forces will continue to intensify their offensive against the guerrilla group.

"Sooner or later FARC is going to fall, as all of their leaders are going to fall, as they have been falling," said Santos.

The group's numbers have dwindled to fewer than 8,000 from a peak of about 17,000 in 2002.