Colombia's government was on Wednesday verifying intelligence that a wanted dissident leader of the FARC ex-guerilla group had been killed in Venezuela. Defense Minister Diego Molano said on Twitter late Tuesday that intelligence suggested Jesus Santrich had died in "confrontations that occurred yesterday in Venezuela" along with "other criminals". Santrich, a former leader of the FARC, had initially joined an historic 2016 peace accord that turned the Marxist rebel group into a political party and ended decades of civil war. Citing breaches of the peace deal, he joined the ranks of FARC dissidents in 2019, taking up arms anew. Santrich is wanted on drug trafficking charges in the United States, which offers a reward for his capture. "Information being verified," tweeted Molano of Santrich's reported demise. If confirmed, he added, Santrich's death would mean that "narco-criminals are hiding in Venezuela." Approached by AFP, the government of President Nicolas Maduro has not commented. Bogota has long accused Venezuela of shielding members of the FARC and armed rebel group ELN on its soil -- a charge Maduro denies. Since March 21, Venezuela's armed forces have engaged in clashes with Colombian armed groups along the border, seizing weapons, explosives and drugs and making several arrests, according to Caracas. Venezuela blames "terrorists" and drug gangs for the border unrest. Colombian security sources say they are likely FARC dissidents. Some FARC fighters who refused to join the peace process have continued their struggle, while also mixing with and battling drug-traffickers in lawless areas of Colombia. Venezuela and Colombia, which share a 2,200-kilometer (1,370-mile) border, severed diplomatic ties in January 2019, after Bogota recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the leader of Venezuela over Maduro following a disputed election. bur-pgf/jt/cn/mlr/st