The Colombian secret police, or Dijin, have captured 32 paramilitary fighters in northern Colombia, police said on Monday.

Police said the paramilitary fighters were captured in the northern city of Maicao, La Guajira department. Among those captured who belonged to the illegal right-wing armed group United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), is chief Jose Barros, alias Chema Bana.

According to the authorities, Barros was accused of counts of homicide, kidnapping, rebellion and taking part in a criminal organization.

The AUC gather 95 percent of the paramilitary groups of the country, and currently are involved in a peace process with the Colombian government in Santa Fe de Ralito, west of the northern department of Cordoba, in search of the demobilization of 20,000 combatants before the end of 2005.
 
Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war, in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitary and government troops fight each other, killing 3,500 people each year.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2004)