BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) --Scattered clashes between rebels, government
troops and rightist paramilitaries in the past two days have killed 20
combatants in Colombia, the army said.

Also, suspected rightist paramilitary gunmen executed at least four villagers Saturday
amid a rash of attacks blamed on the outlaw group, police said.

Clashes between government forces and leftist rebels continued Saturday outside the
township of Anori in Antioquia province, 185 miles (300 kilometers) north of the
capital of Bogota. Soldiers killed three fighters from the leftist National Liberation
Army, or ELN, during morning skirmishes.

Government troops Saturday also killed a fighter from the larger rebel group, the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in southern Narino province
and two rightist paramilitary fighters in Tolima province, Capt. Jorge Florez, an
army spokesman, told The Associated Press.

On Friday, government troops in the provinces of Norte de Santander and
Cundinamarca killed nine fighters from the ELN and the FARC. Five soldiers were
killed during the battle in Cundinamarca when they walked into a FARC camp
strewn with land mines, Florez said.

Suspected paramilitary fighters in Sucre state shot to death at least four people early
Saturday, accusing them of collaborating with leftist guerrillas, said police
spokesman Johny Florez. The victims were removed from their homes and executed
in the village of San Onofre, 340 miles (550 kilometers) northwest of the capital.

Authorities blame the paramilitary army -- known as the United Self Defense Forces
of Colombia, or AUC -- for slaying 57 people in the past week. The victims include a
congressman and 24 unarmed peasants slain in the southwestern village of Buga.

The war, pitting the two rebel armies against the government and the right-wing
paramilitary army, typically kills about 3,500 people every year. The latest fighting
comes a week after a peace agreement between the government and the
16,000-strong FARC raised hopes for a negotiated solution to Colombia's 37-year
civil war.

Copyright 2001 The Associated Press.