Colombia troops kill 29 rebels in smugglers jungle

22 May 2003 22:55:01 GMT BOGOTA, Colombia, May 22 (Reuters) - Colombian troops killed at least 29 Marxist rebels as they pushed into drug- and arms-smuggling areas in the country's eastern jungles on Thursday, the army said.

One soldier was killed in the battle in Vichada province, near Venezuela, in one of the heaviest blows landed by the U.S.-backed armed forces against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia for months, military spokesmen told Reuters.

The victory comes after a terrible month for the army, which began with a botched hostage rescue attempt and continued this week with news that 140 soldiers had divided up millions of dollars found in a secret rebel cache and run away.

The rebel army known by the Spanish initials FARC is fighting a four-decade-old war. Thousands of people are killed every year.

The FARC says it wants socialist revolution and funds itself by kidnapping and "taxing" the cocaine trade.

The government says the jungles of Vichada are a major route for smuggling drugs and arms.