Colombia's military was placed on maximum alert yesterday.
The move comes ahead of a government deadline on whether to extend the status of a rebel safe haven and amid heavy fighting between government and leftist guerrilla troops.
All Colombian garrisons were to remain on top alert for the immediate future, with brigade and division commanders told to stay in position as fighting continued in the north after the discovery of the body of the attorney general's wife, Mrs Consuelo Araujonoguera.
The government blamed the killing of Mrs Araujonoguera, a popular former culture minister and wife of Colombian attorney general Mr Edgardo Maya, on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). She was kidnapped last week.
Colombia's chief prosecutor, Mr Luis Camilo Osorio, said yesterday there was "plenty of evidence" that FARC rebels were behind the killing.
President Mr Andres Pastrana made it clear the government held FARC responsible for what he called the "cowardly" act.
FARC has refused to call a ceasefire despite having on-off peace talks for 32 months.
AFP