"The information we have collected from area residents and police indicates that at least 15 police officers from the Tierradentro force died in the attack," Gonzalez told AFP.
Several civilians also died in the assault, according to the official, who did not specify how many were killed.
He did note, however, that an undetermined number of rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, were killed in clashes that erupted after the attack.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2006