The founder and chief commander of Colombia's FARC rebel force, Manuel Marulanda, has died after more than 40 years fighting the state from jungle and mountain camps, the government said on Saturday.

The rebel group said Marulanda died of a heart attack.

A senior rebel commander known as Timochenko told the Venezuela-based Telesur network yesterday that Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda died "in the arms of his companion, surrounded by his bodyguards".